Directed by Colin McIvor, the thriller film ‘No Ordinary Heist’ is based on a true story, this gripping crime thriller recreates the infamous 2004 Northern Bank robbery, one of the largest cash heists in UK and Irish history. On December 19th, Richard Murphy, a white-collar bank manager, and Barry McKenna, a working-class supervisor, are taken hostage alongside Richard’s wife and Barry’s mother. Their captors issue a chilling ultimatum: empty the bank’s vaults or their loved ones will be killed. Longtime workplace rivals divided by class, resentment, and mistrust, Richard and Barry are forced underground into the vaults to carry out the robbery. As hours pass, buried histories surface and paranoia takes hold, with each man suspecting the other of being the inside man behind the crime. With lives on the line, they must set aside suspicion and unite or lose everything.
‘No Ordinary Heist’ stars Eddie Marsan as Richard Murray, Éanna Hardwicke as Barry McKenna, with Eva Birthistle as Celine Murray and Michelle Fairley as Mags Fulton.
Written by Colin McIvor and Aisling Corristine, ‘No Ordinary Heist’ is produced by Ruth Carter, Damon Lane, and Johanna Hogan. Production companies are Picture Locked Productions and Next Wednesday Films.
The film’s cinematography is by Damien Elliott, the music is by Phil Kieran, and the editing is by John Walters.
Watch the trailer below:
Epic Pictures Group will release ‘No Ordinary Heist’ in select theaters on April 24, 2026, before arriving on digital video-on-demand platforms for rent or purchase on April 28, 2026.
“With No Ordinary Heist, I wanted to create a taut, claustrophobic, and immersive study of the human spirit pushed to its absolute limit. Inspired by the 2004 Northern Bank robbery – the largest cash heist in UK and Irish history – we meticulously recreated the atmosphere of Belfast through a palette of icy winter blues, warm sodium lamps, tobacco-stained ceilings, and a central, claustrophobic, tomb-like cash vault,” says director Colin McIvor.
“Defined by a simple and economical concept, our story follows two men driven by the desperate need to keep their families alive over the course of a single day. Their emotional arcs are a series of jagged spikes, lurching from despair to hope and fury in a strained battle of wits against the clock. By alternating between cooperation and conflict, the characters expose their deepest prejudices and vulnerabilities through moments of both trauma and tenderness. Ultimately, my hope is that No Ordinary Heist delivers a gripping, old-fashioned crime thriller that achieves a lasting permanence in the mind.”
Eddie Marsan adds, “Colin McIvor’s No Ordinary Heist is a gem of a film. A heist story where the two protagonists hate each other but have to work together and rob their own bank to save their families. It’s a brilliant starting point for an actor and to get to share the screen with Éanna, Michelle and Eva was a pure joy.”
Éanna Hardwicke shares, “With No Ordinary Heist, Colin and Aisling bring a high-stakes, intensely tense thriller, one that always keeps the human story at its core. I was compelled by the audacity of the events that inspired it, as well as the raw and terrifying ordeal these men and their families endured.
It’s a story with Belfast at its heart, deeply rooted in its history. It was a privilege to tell it in a way that gives the city the cinematic treatment it deserves—showcasing the beautiful visuals of Damien Elliot’s cinematography, the wit and language unique to the city, and never losing sight of the human impact at its centre. I’m very excited for audiences to see it.”
Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald notes, “This is the kind of gripping, character-driven thriller we love backing. Anchored by a remarkable ensemble and an extraordinary true story, No Ordinary Heist combines tension, intelligence, and emotional stakes, culminating in a crime story that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
For more details, including ticket information, visit the official website here:
https://epic-pictures.com/film/no-ordinary-heist
Eddie Marsan is most known for his roles in ‘Ray Donovan’ and ‘Vera Drake,’ Éanna Hardwicke is best known for roles in ‘Saipan’ and ‘Lakelands,’ Michelle Fairley recognizable for her roles in ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Gangs of London,’ and Eva Birthistle is known for her roles in ‘The Delinquent Season’ and ‘Bad Sisters.’
