Posted in: Current News, Editor's Picks TV News, Movies, TV | Tagged: 1988, american crime story, american crime story: the people vs. oj simpson, anthony hemingway, Armand Moore, bank heist, bank robbery, cable, chicago, courtney b vance, crime drama, drama, Dwayne Johnson-Cochran, First National Bank of Chicago, Heist 88, HRL, Isle of Dogs, Johnnie Cochran, office christmas party, Shameless, streaming, television, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Mummy, tv, Underground
Heist 88: American Crime's Courtney B. Vance To Lead FX Crime Drama
Most people remember the 1980s as the decade of parachute pants, thin leather ties, and Martha Quinn — but did you know that the "Me Decade" was also home to one of the most sophisticated bank robbery attempts in modern history? FX is set to develop the bank heist drama Heist 88, from executive producers Courtney B. Vance (American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson) and Dwayne Johnson-Cochran (Love and Action in Chicago). Johnson-Cochran and Vance will write and star in the project, respectively, under Anthony Hemingway's (Underground, Shameless) direction; and all three will serve as executive producers.
Set in 1988, Heist 88 tells the true story of arch-criminal and master manipulator Armand Moore (Vance), who persuaded four young African-American employees of First National Bank of Chicago to steal $70 million via a sophisticated take down of the banking wire system. Moore's embezzlement scheme involved a combination of insider access and false identities to transfer funds out of three large customer accounts: airline United Airlines, a unit of Allegis Corp.; brokerage firm Merrill Lynch & Co.; and Brown-Forman Corp., a wine and spirits producer and importer. Those monies would be moved to Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank; and from there, funds would be transferred to offshore accounts for laundered access.
Winning the 2016 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his turn as late attorney Johnnie Cochran in FX's American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, Vance was recently seen in the films Office Christmas Party and The Mummy. He also starred in the HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The actor is currently finishing post-production on Wes Anderson's upcoming animated film Isle of Dogs and TNT's television film Civil.
Pam Veasey and Mark Tayor will be joining Vance, Johnson-Cochran, and Hemingway as executive producers as the project potentially moves from development to series.