Robbing a bank is risky enough. Broadcasting the whole thing to the world? Now that’s asking for trouble.
In How to Rob a Bank, director David Leitch (Bullet Train, The Fall Guy) gives the classic heist thriller a bold, modern twist, bringing together Nicholas Hoult, Anna Sawai, Pete Davidson, and Rhenzy Feliz for a high-stakes crime spree where the money is only part of the prize.
Arriving in Philippine cinemas on November 11, the action-packed thriller follows a crew of tech-savvy bank robbers who turn their crimes into viral spectacles. With every heist livestreamed to a growing online audience, the gang quickly discovers that internet fame comes with a dangerous price.
And with the FBI closing in, their next big score could very well be their last.
Watch the official trailer:
The Perfect Crew for an Almost Impossible Crime
Forget masks and getaway cars. Well, not entirely.
The criminals at the center of How to Rob a Bank know that pulling off a successful robbery takes more than a carefully laid plan. It also takes the right people, each with a particular skill, a personal motivation, and something worth risking everything for.
Their increasingly audacious heists put them directly in the sights of veteran FBI agent John West, played by John C. Reilly. Joining the pursuit is software engineer Reagan Gardner (Zoë Kravitz), whose unexpected involvement adds another complication to the gang’s already dangerous operation.
As their online following grows, so does the pressure to deliver something bigger and more spectacular. Naturally, the crew sets its sights on its most ambitious heist yet.
But when you’re broadcasting your crimes for everyone to see, staying one step ahead of the law becomes a whole different challenge.
Anna Sawai Plays the Cool-Headed Mastermind
Every heist crew has its hotheads, risk-takers, and impulsive personalities. Fortunately for this gang, there’s Emi.
Played by Anna Sawai, known for her acclaimed performances in Pachinko and Shōgun, Emi is the steady hand keeping the operation from spiraling into chaos. While the others are quick to act on emotion, she prefers to think several moves ahead.
For Leitch, Sawai’s ability to communicate so much without saying a word made her an ideal choice for the role.
Anna is a very subtle actor, and I mean that in the most complimentary way, Leitch says. There’s so much portrayed with just a look or just a presence. Her role in the team is just that. She’s the quiet confidant but also part of the mastermind of what’s happening. To have an actress like her portray Emi was so beneficial to the film.
Sawai sees Emi as more than the crew’s voice of reason. She’s the one making sure their grand plans actually make sense.
I think she’s actually the brain of the group,” Sawai says. “She’s able to step back and look at things objectively while the guys are rushing ahead emotionally. She keeps things organized and grounded.
In a business where the smallest mistake can lead to disaster, having someone who knows when to slow things down might be the gang’s greatest advantage.
Pete Davidson Trades Laughs for a Darker, More Dramatic Role
Pete Davidson may be best known for making people laugh, but How to Rob a Bank gives him an opportunity to show audiences a different side of his acting abilities.
The Saturday Night Live alum plays Vince, a military veteran and family man whose experiences have shaped his complicated relationship with the very system he once served.
His training makes him a valuable asset to the crew, but it’s his reasons for joining their criminal operation that make the character particularly intriguing.
I think because of Vince’s experience in the military, he brings very useful skills to the bank robbing operation, Davidson says. But he’s interesting because he served for the country and now he’s robbing from it. They’re activists. Their main message is that the system’s wrong and it’s corrupt. People who are first responders, they should be compensated better.
For Vince, the robberies aren’t simply about getting rich. They’re also about challenging a system he believes has failed the people who serve it.
Leitch, meanwhile, was eager to give Davidson room to explore the character’s emotional complexity without relying on his familiar comedic instincts.
We heard that Pete was interested in doing a dramatic role and I got really excited about that, Leitch says. I said, ‘If you go on this journey with us, I promise I won’t force your hand and make you do any jokes. You’re just going to have to live in the emotional pain of this character.
I’m really proud of him and the performance he delivered, the director adds,
For fans accustomed to Davidson’s quick wit and offbeat humor, Vince could prove to be one of the film’s biggest surprises.
Rhenzy Feliz Makes Sure Every Robbery Becomes Must-Watch Content
If the crew is going to risk everything for an audience, someone needs to make sure the footage is worth watching.
That’s where Hugo comes in.
Played by Rhenzy Feliz (Runaways, The Penguin), Hugo is the gang’s editor and media mastermind, responsible for shaping how their robberies appear to the outside world.
He’s not the one drawing up elaborate escape routes or keeping everyone’s emotions in check. Instead, he controls something just as valuable: the crew’s public image.
I saw Hugo as this kind of firecracker personality, Feliz says. He’s carrying his own stuff internally, but he’s able to push it down and present this brighter face to the world.
Behind his energetic personality is someone who understands that the gang’s mission depends on more than getting away with the money.
If people misunderstand who they are and what they stand for, then their mission fails. Hugo controls the messaging and presentation of what they’re doing.
It’s a fascinating twist on the traditional heist formula. In a world obsessed with views, followers, and viral moments, even bank robbers need someone who knows how to tell a compelling story.
Of course, the more attention they attract, the harder it becomes to disappear.
More Than a Heist, It’s a Crew with Something to Prove
While the action promises plenty of excitement, the filmmakers wanted the characters to bring something deeper to the story.
Rather than assembling a team of interchangeable criminals, the goal was to create a group of individuals whose different experiences, personalities, and motivations would make their relationships feel believable.
You’re not just casting individual roles, you’re collecting the right individuals, McCormick says.
We wanted a really unique combination of people who could represent so many different emotions in this film – anger, grief, hope, humor, loyalty. Put them together and the audience should be able to find themselves somewhere in that crew.
That mix of personalities is what makes the gang so intriguing. Emi brings discipline, Vince carries the weight of his convictions, and Hugo understands the power of public perception. Alongside Hoult’s character, they form a crew whose biggest challenge may not be cracking a vault, but keeping their ambitions and emotions from tearing them apart.
And that’s before the FBI catches up.
Catch ‘How to Rob a Bank’ in Philippine Cinemas November 11
With David Leitch at the helm and an ensemble featuring Nicholas Hoult, Anna Sawai, Pete Davidson, Rhenzy Feliz, John C. Reilly, and Zoë Kravitz, How to Rob a Bank puts a contemporary spin on the crime thriller, blending daring robberies, digital fame, and characters who believe they’re fighting for something bigger than money.
The gang has the skills, the audience, and a plan to pull off its biggest score.
The question is whether they can handle the consequences when the whole world is watching.
Catch How to Rob a Bank in Philippine cinemas starting November 11. Distributed locally by Columbia Pictures PH.
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