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Bad Robot Producing World's Biggest Diamond Heist Movie

by Alex Billington
March 16, 2009

We wouldn't have thought twice about the news that Paramount was adapting "The Untold Story of the World's Biggest Diamond Heist" if it weren't for the name of the production company who is actually handling the development - Bad Robot. Yep, J.J. Abrams' company is in talks to develop an adaptation of Joshua Davis' article on Wired about Leonardo Notarbartolo, who was the leader of a group of Italian thieves that broke into and robbed the Antwerp Diamond Center. Production Weekly announced on their Twitter today that Bad Robot was involved, although this is the first time we've heard anything about it.

Notarbartolo was just released from prison this week, and the Wired article (which you can read online here) will show up in the newest issue later this month. Here's a better background on Notarbartolo's heist: "He was accused of breaking into a vault two floors beneath the Antwerp Diamond Center and making off with at least $100 million worth of loose diamonds, gold, jewelry, and other spoils. The vault was thought to be impenetrable. It was protected by 10 layers of security, including infrared heat detectors, Doppler radar, a magnetic field, a seismic sensor, and a lock with 100 million possible combinations. The robbery was called the heist of the century, and even now the police can't explain exactly how it was done."

This is already a fascinating story worth reading to begin with and in the hands of Bad Robot this can only mean great things. Those who have read the article are already calling it a mix of The Italian Job and Ocean's Eleven, which sounds quite awesome, but throw a little bit of J.J. Abrams' magic into the mix and you'll know why I'm so excited to report this. I would say Mission: Impossible III is somewhat of a heist movie, and although I'm not sure whether Abrams will direct this (THR says maybe), it's at least good to know it'll have somewhat of a similar feeling. Until we hear more, head over to Wired and read the article.

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