After a conspicuous absence from the silver screen, John C. Reilly is back — and he’s not easing in gently. The Oscar-nominated actor has signed on for How to Rob a Bank, a slick, high-concept thriller from John Wick and Bullet Train director David Leitch. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios, the film is gearing up for production this month and promises a stylish fusion of action, satire, and social media chaos.
Reilly joins a dynamic ensemble led by Nicholas Hoult, alongside Zoe Kravitz, Pete Davidson, Anna Sawai, and Rhenzy Feliz. The screenplay, penned by Hunters writer Mark Bianculli, centres on a crew of modern-day bandits who livestream their heists, turning crime into a form of real-time entertainment while playing an elaborate game of cat and mouse with the authorities. It’s a plot that feels eerily plausible — and ripe for cinematic mischief.
Once hailed as one of Hollywood’s great chameleons, Reilly has spent recent years largely off the radar. His last major film run was back in 2018 with titles like Stan & Ollie, Holmes & Watson, and The Sisters Brothers. Since then, he’s only surfaced in a few cameo roles and on television, most notably as Dr. Jerry Buss in HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. But the dry spell is over: with this new film, a western that premiered at Cannes (Heads or Tails), and two more indies in post-production, Reilly looks poised for a cinematic renaissance.
How to Rob a Bank is set for a wide theatrical release over Labor Day weekend, with a premiere date of 4 September 2026. With Leitch behind the camera and Reilly back in action, this promises to be a heist well worth watching — even if you're not rooting for the robbers.
