Albert Hughes To Direct a Film Based on The 1997 North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shootout
Albert Hughes has jumped on board a new film project called North Hollywood. The movie will tell the true story of the deadly 1997 North Hollywood shootout, where the LAPD faced off with a pair of bank robbers, who loaded themselves up with a military-grade arsenal.
I remember when this happened! I was a senior in high school and dating a girl from North Hollywood at the time. Her dad was a cop and this was definitely a crazy and intense situation. Like many of you, I watched the whole thing unfold on the news and was in shock by what I was witnessing. They showed people being shot and killed on live TV, and it is considered the largest shootout in the history of U.S. law enforcement.
The robbers had just exited after robbing a Bank of America branch when they were confronted by police, who had no idea the firepower they were about to face. In the end, both suspects were killed, 12 officers and eight bystanders were injured, and bullet holes from about 2,000 rounds of ammo pocked nearby buildings and parked cars.
The film is written by Inside Man scribe Russell Gurwitz and it will start shooting early next year in New Mexico. The filmmaker and producers are looking to put together an ensemble cast. Producer Greg Silverman had this to say in a statement:
“Albert is the dream partner to bring this story to life with his signature style and authentic eye for detail. We’re beyond thrilled to be working with him. This is an incredible true story many of us remember, and Russell’s script is just electric — a staggering work of drama and violence fueled by media obsession. It’s a cautionary tale for the world we find ourselves in.”
Producer Stuart Ford added:
“North Hollywood is a gritty, ultra-realistic action thriller and Albert is the perfect filmmaker to bring such a kinetic, powerful true story to the screen. This is a very exciting project for us to partner on with our friends at Stampede.”
I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the movie turns out. This isn’t the first time this story has been adapted into a film. In 2003 there was a TV movie made called 44-Minutes.
Source: Deadline