PRESS RELEASE
Tommy Oliver’s Confluential Films, the award-winning, Black-owned and Black-founded film, television and documentary production company and financier, is developing a feature film adaptation of Heist: Or How to Steal a Planet, a science fiction crime thriller from Vault Comics. Filmmaker Justin Simien (Haunted Mansion, Dear White People) is attached to direct the adaptation and Christopher Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) is writing the screenplay, with Oliver (The Perfect Find, Fancy Dance) producing. Wayne Horton, who brought the project in, is also producing through his production deal with Confluential Films.
“How To Steal Planet wowed me and I’m humbled by the challenge of bringing a genre bending dose of afro-futurism to the culture,” said Simien, Founder of Culture Machine. “I’m grateful for the inherent synergy between Culture Machine and Confluential Films as well as the chance to collaborate with the brilliant Christopher Yost.”
The comic, created by writer Paul Tobin and artist Arjuna Susini, is set on the planet Heist, home to billions of the worst criminals in the galaxy. The Pan-Galactic government has no idea what to do with the planet, but conman Glane Breld and his band of thieves know exactly what to do with Heist. They’re going to steal it. The story follows Glane on his madcap scheme to pull off the biggest heist in the history of the galaxy.
“I’ve been a fan of Vault for years, and Paul and Arjuna have created something so fun and cool with How to Steal a Planet. I’m insanely honored and excited to be part of bringing Glane and his crew to the big screen alongside Justin and Tommy,” said Christopher Yost
“Vault’s How to Steal a Planet is just a good time. I can’t imagine a better duo than Justin Simien and Christopher Yost to bring this to the screen, especially as a part of Confluential’s growing slate of tentpole films from creators of color,” said Tommy Oliver, Founder & CEO of Confluential Films.
Newly hired SVP, Film & TV, Liliane Bedford will oversee the project for Confluential Films. Damian Wassel and F.J. DeSanto will executive produce for Vault. Simien and Kyle Laursen will executive produce for Culture Machine.
Justin Simien is represented by CAA and Grandview. Christopher Yost is represented by Verve and Industry. Vault is represented by UTA, Industry and Weintraub Tobin. The deal was negotiated by Confluential’s Head of Business and Legal Affairs, Alexa Camarena.
