A New Heist Thriller Based on a Notorious Crime
An ‘incredibly tense’ new heist thriller starring Eddie Marsan is set to captivate audiences with its gripping portrayal of one of the most infamous crimes in British history. The film, titled No Ordinary Heist, will be released in UK cinemas on March 27 and follows the true story of two bank executives who were held hostage for 24 hours while officials were forced to raid their own bank.
The film is inspired by the events of December 2004, when £26,500,000 was loaded into a van and driven away from the Northern Bank in Belfast. This robbery remains one of the largest in British and Irish history. The movie features the Back to Black star and Saipan’s Éanna Hardwicke in key roles, bringing this shocking event to life on the big screen.
Marsan shared his thoughts on the project during an interview with BBC Radio Ulster. He said: “I was fascinated by the opening, the opening first 10 pages, the idea that the bank manager and the security guard were forced to rob their own bank. It was a brilliant script. It was brilliantly paced out. And then when you add the music, the music in the film had such incredible tension.”
Hardwicke also spoke about what drew him to the film. He explained: “I knew that was at the time the biggest bank heist in British and Irish history. And then I read Colin’s script and met Colin and, I suppose, realised quickly that this was very much based on those events. It was inspired by the Northern Bank robbery but I focused and kind of foregrounded the relationship of these two men who were based on the characters, based on the men who were forced to commit this robbery. That’s what drew me to it.”
The Real-Life Events Behind the Film
The robbery took place just days before Christmas in 2004, when gangs of armed men took over the homes of two Northern Bank officials in Belfast and County Down. With family members held hostage, the officials were instructed to remove cash from the vaults and load it into the back of a van.
After the crime, Northern Bank announced it would withdraw most of its bank notes and re-issue them in a different colour and style. Some of the stolen notes were later found in Cork, adding another layer of mystery to the case.
Chris Ward, of Colinmill, Poleglass, who was one of the two bank employees forced to assist the robbers, was arrested in November 2005 on suspicion of being an ‘inside man’. However, in October 2008, he was found not guilty of facilitating the robbery. To this day, no one has been convicted of direct involvement in the robbery, and the majority of the money has never been recovered.
Other Exciting Releases
This year has seen a surge in crime thrillers, with a ‘gripping’ BBC crime thriller watched by 10,000,000 people confirming its shock return after a decade. The psychological thriller Doctor Foster, which consistently drew in millions of viewers, will return for a third and final season. The show will also see the return of lead stars Suranne Jones as well as Bertie Carvel and Tom Taylor as Gemma, Simon and Tom Foster, respectively.
No Ordinary Heist is set to be a major release in March, offering audiences a unique blend of suspense, drama, and real-life events. With its compelling narrative and powerful performances, the film promises to be a standout addition to the genre.
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