Description
How to Rob a Bank features elaborate heists and practical action, but director David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick reveal why making the stunts look imperfect was sometimes the most important creative decision.
In this Collider interview, the filmmakers take us behind the scenes of their 2026 heist movie to explain how they approached action differently from their previous projects, including the challenges of shooting with a smaller budget and designing sequences around real locations.
One of their biggest priorities was creating a clear distinction between the flashy, carefully choreographed action seen in the movie's social media content and the unpredictable reality of the robberies themselves. McCormick shares how an armored truck accidentally hitting a building became the preferred take because it made the characters feel less like professional stunt drivers.
Leitch and McCormick also discuss experimenting with Insta360 cameras, DJI drones, and custom rigs to capture perspectives that traditional equipment couldn't easily achieve.
Beyond the action, they reveal the surprising history of the film's bear mask, the deeper meaning behind Nicholas Hoult's wolf mask, and how the actor used mime training to develop his character's physical performance.
The filmmakers also explain how Zoë Kravitz and John C. Reilly expanded their characters' dynamic and why real Pittsburgh locations helped create the movie's distinctive visual style.
Chapters:
0:00 How to Rob a Bank's Practical Action
0:23 Why Nicholas Hoult's Character Wears a Wolf Mask
1:20 The Unexpected Origin of the Bear Mask
2:31 Acting Through Masks and Using ADR
4:40 Choreographing the Bank Heists
5:56 The Armored Truck Crash and Realistic Stunts
6:45 Innovative Cameras, Cast Chemistry, and Practical Locations
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Video By Michael Zimmermann & Dano GS
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