Masterminds features Jason Sudeikis, Kristin Wiig and Owen Wilson as the bungling architects of a multimillion dollar bank heist
Relativity Media's Masterminds, a heist comedy movie, is set for showing in US theaters on August 14. Directed and written by Jared Hess, the film is based on the real 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina, also nicknamed "the hillbilly heist" because nearly all of the major players in the case came from the small backwater towns around Charlotte.
In the real life heist, an armored car driver and vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo named David Scott Ghantt stole $17.3 million in cash with the help of his friend Kelly Campbell, an ex-employee of the company, and her friend Steve Chambers. As planned by the three masterminds, Ghantt committed the actual robbery and went to Mexico but left the bulk of the cash with Chambers who was supposed to occasionally wire him just enough sum to cover his basic needs until the heat was off when he can re-enter the U.S. where they will split up the loot among themselves and all of their co-conspirators. All three of them were supposed to lay low for a while to avert suspicion. However, it was learned that Chambers had another plan. He hired a contract killer to silence Ghantt. Fortunately for the law, they were all soon caught because none of them were able to resist spending extravagantly and conspicuously. The FBI reported it was able to recover 95% of the gang's stolen money.
Playing the "Masterminds" are Zach Galifanakis as David Scott Ghant, Kristin Wiig as Kelly Campbell and Owen Wilson as Steve Chambers. Mary Elizabeth Ellis plays Steve's gold-digger of a wife Michelle with Karste Friske acting as their young son. Joining them in the cast are Jason Sudeikis, Ken Marino, Devin Ratray, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Jon Daly, Ross Kimball, Jordan Israel, Rhoda Griffis, Kevin J. O'Connor, Jill Jane Clements, Nicole Michelle Sobchak, and Fred Galle.