Universal and Will Packer Productions are teaming for an adaptation of Stan Parish’s romantic heist story Love and Theft.
Leon Chills, whose credits include Netflix’s Spinning Out and Amazon’s The Wilds, will pen the global feature that is set in Las Vegas, Mexico, and Spain.
The novel, which was published by Penguin Random House imprint Knopf Doubleday, revolves around Alex, a single father and leader of an armed-robbery crew, and Diane, a single mother and the owner of a successful catering company. After meeting at a New Jersey party, the two take a weekend vacation to Mexico, where Alex swears off his life of crime but is forced by a cartel to pull off one last impossible job, taking both him and Diane on a high-octane journey around Mexico and Europe.
Packer and Johanna Byer will produce for Will Packer Productions. Lexi Barta will oversee for Universal and Alvie Hurtado will oversee for Packer.
Chills is repped by UTA, Heroes and Villains, and Jackoway Tyerman. Parish is repped by CAA, The Book Group, and Heroes and Villains.