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Silhouette of a robbery. Photo By Maxim Hopman –

30 Best Bank Robbery Movies of All Time

On September 1^st, 1798, one hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars were stolen from the Bank of Pennsylvania, Quaker City. It was the first bank robbery in history and soon after, similar heists continued to take place with the highest reported cases being in South America.

 The movement to cashless money aided in reducing bank robberies all across the globe. The number drastically declined, and some may even say bank heists have ‘gone out of style’. This, however, doesn’t beat the fact that they make a good storyline for a movie.

Here are the top 30 bank robbery movies of all time:

From The 1900s

1. Cash On Demand (1961)

Cash On Demand is a crime thriller-themed movie based on the UK television series, The Gold Inside.  The 60-minute film was released on December 1961 (U.S.A) and December 1963 (U.K).

The movie is about a con job where the bank manager, Fordyce, aids a fake insurance investigator, Gore, to steal 93,000 pounds from the bank’s vault. He threatens Fordyce by telling him his family is being held hostage. After finding out it was all a hoax, Fordyce struggles to prove his innocence to the authorities. 

Cash On Demand received plenty of positive reviews and was listed as the most meritorious English film of the 60s. Peter Cushing, who played the main character, was praised for his stellar execution of Harry Fordyce.

2. Bonnie & Clyde (1967)

Movie Films. Photo By Denise Jans –

Tired of her low-paying job, Clyde decides to join Bonnie and C.W. in small-time bank robberies. The three become wanted by law enforcement when a shoot-out during a heist in Missouri kills two policemen. Bonnie and Clyde go into hiding and are later shot dead after being set up by C.W.’s father.

Bonnie & Clyde is one of the films considered to have featured the new generation of movie producers from the mid-60s. It also broke film industry restrictions when it came to violence and sexual content.

The film was preserved in the National Film Registry in 1992 and is listed among the greatest American films of all time. 

3. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

The Thomas Crown Affair was produced and directed by Canadian producer, Norman Jewison. The award-winning movie was released in June 1968. A remade version was later released in the late 1990s.

The film is about a wealthy millionaire who hires 5 men to steal 2.6 million dollars from a bank in Boston, Massachusetts. The mastermind of the theft becomes romantically involved with the led detective, Vicki Anderson, and in the process organizes another successful heist.

The movie was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and British Academy Film Award. It won two out of the five nominated categories. The pop singer Madonna used one of the film’s scenes on her 1998 track The Power of Good-Bye.

4. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (1969)

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid is a film on the life of two robbers, LeRoy Parker, and Harry Alonzo. The two notorious criminals are on the run after a series of train robberies. They head out to Bolivia where they plan a bank robbery.

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid has won four Academy Awards, one Golden Globe, and a Grammy Award. The movie is preserved in the American National Film Registry. It was also listed as one of the greatest American films on the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies.

5. Dollar$ (1971)

On May 10, 2014, Quincy Jones. Photo By Canadian Film Centre –

Dollar$, known in the U.K. as The Heist, is a comedy crime movie released in December 1971. The movie is based on a planned bank robbery by two friends Dawn and Joe, where Dawn successfully flees with money and her partner dies of poisoning before getting to spend his cut.

The movie received good reviews with some terming it as one full of suspense and smart dialogue. The music in the film was produced by the famous Quincy Jones.

Read about Quincy Jones and other famous black entrepreneurs here.

6. Dillinger (1973)

Dillinger is an action film about John Dillinger, a famous American bank robber. John was responsible for 24 successful bank robberies during the American Depression Era. He became a fugitive after escaping prison twice but was shot dead while hiding in Chicago.

The movie has a 93% rating on the American film and television review website, Rotten Tomato.

7. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is an American film adaptation of George V. Higgins’ novel, The Friends of Eddie Coyle. The crime movie is based on a story about an Irish gang, gunrunners, murder, betrayal, and robbery.

In the film, the gang successfully gets away with robbing their first bank, South Shore National Bank. The second robbery, however, leaves a bloody mess when they kill one of the bank tellers. The police then go on a hunt using Coyle to bait the crooks. 

The movie was released in June 1973. Robert Mitchum, playing Eddie Coyle, was praised for his great skill in executing the role.

8. Charley Varrick (1973)

Charley Varrick is a crime film featuring Andrew Robinson and Walter Matthau. It is an adaptation of The Lotters by John Reese and Walter Matthau’s first non-comedy film. It was released in October 1973 by Universal Pictures.

A year after its premiere, Walter was nominated and won Best Actor at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

9. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Movie Projector. Photo By Alex Litvin –

Dog Day Afternoon is based on a biographical article from Life Magazine. The article was about a robbery that took place in Brooklyn, Massachusetts.

Dog Day Afternoon was released in 1975 and gained immediate popularity. It was nominated for several awards including British Academy and Golden Globe Awards. It won Best Original Screenplay at the 48^th Academy Awards.  

10. Heat (1995)

The film Heat was written and directed by American screenwriter, Michael Mann. The initial script was created in 1979; it was based on a police pursuit that occurred in Chicago, Illinois.

After a failed attempt to make the script a series, Mann rewrote the plot with the help of director Art Linson. In the movie, a bank robbery worth 12.2 million dollars lands McCauley in trouble with the law. He is shot dead by his accomplice Hanna when his way to Los Angeles International Airport.

The film was released in 1995 and was a success. It made gross earnings of $187 million and inspired other movies of its kind. In July 2022, the development of a sequel was publicly announced.

11. Normal Life (1996)

The biopic crime film Normal Life is based on the story of two lovers Jeffrey and Jill, referred to as Chris and Pamela. After Pamela’s expensive lifestyle takes a toll on Chris’ finances, he decides to rob banks in order to stay afloat.

Pamela is thrilled by the heists and decides to tag along on her husband’s escapades. When the two gather enough money to cater to their expenses, Chris hangs the towel on committing the robberies. A displeased Pamela decides to leave the relationship but the two get back together and continue their life of crime until their demise.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Normal Life received a rating of 70%. The actors Ashley Judd and Luke Perry were also credited for their great performances in the film. It was released in October 1996 and the DVD version in February 2005.

12. Set it Off (1996)

Actor Jada Pinkett Smith. Photo By Dominick D –

Set It Off is an American action film written by Takashi Bufford and Kate Lanier. It was the film debut of the award-winning actress, Kimberly Elise. It also starred other big Hollywood names such as Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica Foxx, and Queen Latifa.

The film starts off with Vivica (playing Frankie) being fired from her bank teller job. She and her three close friends then get a janitorial gig that pays them very little wages. Latifa, who plays Cleo, comes up with the idea of robbing a bank.

With the aid of Stony’s boyfriend, the gang successfully robs a couple of banks. Three of the four women die in a shoot-out after a robbery at Downtown Federal Bank. Stony survives and flees to Mexico.

In 1997, F. Gary Gray was awarded Best Film Director for the movie.

View the 30 most famous black actress on this link.

13. Heaven’s Burning (1997)

Heaven’s Burning is a Russel Crowe production released in November 1997. The Australian movie is of based on the story of Colin and Midori who are wanted by the police.

Colin was part of a bank robbery that ends up in the death of one gang member.  The robbers take Midori hostage in an effort to kill her but Colin disagrees with this. The two flee and begin robbing banks to fund their movement.

14. Out of Sight (1998)

Out of Sight is a film adaptation of a 1996 Elmore Leonard novel under the same name. It was released in June 1998 and features popular actors George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.

The movie begins with the main character Jack Foley, being apprehended after a Miami robbery. The career bank robber serves some time in prison but escapes after hatching a plan with his ex-wife and a fellow inmate. He proceeds to rob another bank but is arrested by Karen, a U.S Marshal.

The movie has won three National Society of Film Critics awards and the Best Screenplay at the 2003 Edgar Allan Poe Awards. Its spinoff series Karen Sisco was aired in October 2003 but was canceled shortly after.

From The 2000s

15. 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003)

Image of Los Angeles. Photo By Jake Blucker –

44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a movie based on a shooting that occurred in Los Angeles, California. The incident took place in February 1997 outside the Bank of America.

The plot involves two burglars who had been wanted by the Los Angeles Police Department. The robbery turns into a riddle of bullets when the bandits open fire at a swarm of police officers surrounding the bank. Philip and Matasareanu die at the scene; no police officers or civilians are injured from the shooting.

The film was produced by Daniel Schneider and released in 2003. It is rated 6.3/10 on IMDb, a popular movie source website worldwide.

16. Ned Kelly (2003)

Ned Kelly is a film adaptation of a novel by Robert Drewe, Our Sunshine (1991). The movie was shot and directed by Australian actor, George Jordan and released in March 2003.

The storyline begins with the young life of Kelly, a hero amongst his peers. He is arrested and imprisoned for 3 years after being linked to a theft that he did not commit. Later on, he teams up with other three fellows in robbing two banks.

The film won 2 out of the 9 nominated categories in the 2003 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.

17. Chaos (2005)

Chaos is a movie about unexpected consequences that land a police officer in trouble with the law. After a bank teller is shot dead during a robbery, the thieves flee and go into hiding. Banknotes from a previous heist are discovered in one of the burglar’s hideouts linking the detective to another heist.  

The film was first released in Western Asia in December 2005. In 2008, it premiered in North America in home video formats (DVDs), unlike the usual theatre release. Movie critics have applauded the film’s plot twists and intelligent writing.  

18. Inside Man (2006)

100 dollar notes. Photo by Giorgio Trovato – Unsplash

Inside Man is a movie about a robbery in a bank along Wall Street, New York City. The Spike Lee-directed film is thriller and crime-themed. Though the script was written in 2002, the movie was shot three years later.

The robbery in the movie takes 24 hours. The burglars coerce the hostages to dress in disguises similar to theirs, a tactic also used by the bank robbers in the popular Netflix Series, Money Heist.

The film takes an unexpected turn when the officers realized that no money was actually stolen and the guns used were made of plastic. The case is dropped but leads Detective Frazier on a possible criminal offense by the bank’s founder, Arthur Case.

Inside Man was released in March 2006. It was a commercial success earning 184 million dollars in net sales, four times its production budget.

19. The Bank Job (2008)

The Bank Job is a thriller film based on an actual controversial robbery that occurred in Baker Street, London. In 1971, robbers broke in and escaped with safety deposit boxes from Lloyds Bank. Only 231,000 of the 3 million pounds was recovered.

The popular actor Jason Statham plays the role of Terry Leather, a salesman, and criminal middleman. The organized gang access the bank through a tunnel from a nearby goods shop and makes their way out with the safety boxes.

The film was released in 2008 and was the first to mimic the robbery. It was believed that one of the said boxes contained compromising images of Queen Elizabeth’s daughter, Princess Margaret. The other had pictorial evidence of child abuse by one of the reserved English cabinet ministers. 

20. Mesrine (2008)

Mesrine is a 2008 movie released in two parts, Mesrine: L’instinct de mort and Mesrine: L’ennemi public No. 1. The film is based on the life of Jacques Mesrine, a French criminal who was killed in Â鶹APP after a police hunt.

In Mesrine: L’instinct de mort  Mesrine is seen as a soldier serving in the army during Algerian War with little crime. In part two of the movie, Mesrine consecutively robs two banks. His hideout is located by French intelligence and the criminal is apprehended.

The film won Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Sound in Cesar Awards. It also won Best Actor at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

 21. The Dark Night (2008)

Batman on a rooftop. Photo by Lukas Denier –

The Dark Night is a fiction film based on the superhero Batman. It is the second movie from The Dark Knight Trilogy.

District attorney Harvey, Batman, and Lieutenant Gordon work together to protect Gotham city from criminals and mafias. After a bank robbery, the three team up to track the burglars and their mastermind.

The movie was a commercial success and inspired multiple realistic superhero movies. It has been preserved in the National Film Registry since 2020.

22. Public Enemies (2009)

Public Enemies is a film adaptation of Burrough’s Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of FBI (2004). It is a Michael Mann production and was released in June 2009.

The crime drama movie was based on the criminal life of John Dillinger and his associates. Johnny Depp plays Dillinger while English actor Christian Bale plays FBI agent Melvin Purvis.

Though some argued that the film lacked compelling drama, it was praised for its set pieces and thorough detail. Certain parts of it were filmed at the actual location the crimes were committed.

23. The Town (2010)

The Town is a Graham King production released in September 2010. The drama film is an adaptation of the novel Prince of Thieves (2004) by Chuck Hoga. Ben Affleck, who also featured in the movie, co-wrote the script with two others.

After a group of four friends decides to rob a bank in Boston, one of them takes a woman hostage while at it. Though she is released, Doug, played by Affleck, stalks the woman after the robbery. He then falls in love with her and leaves her a bag of cash after fleeing to Florida.

The Town won two categories in the National Board of Review of Motion pictures. The film was based in Charlestown, Boston, an area known for numerous bank robberies.

24. Fly Paper (2011)

Fly Paper was first released during the annual Sundance Film Festival, in January 2011.  The movie is a combination of exaggerated physical stunts, comedy, and crime. It is produced and directed by four American filmmakers.

In Fly Paper, a bank is attacked by two different groups of robbers right before its closing time. The two gangs, who are unaware of each other, open fire killing an agent and taking 8 people as hostages. 

25. Dhoom 3 (2013)

Dhoom 3 is an Indian action film released in 2013. It is part of a three-part series that was showcased in 2004 (Dhoom) and 2006 (Dhoom 2).

The film is about bank robberies in Chicago, Illinois. After his father is rejected by the bank Chairman, Sahir seeks his revenge and robs several Western Bank branches.

The movie broke over 10 records at the Indian Film Box Office including the highest worldwide gross. In North America, it beat 3 Idiots earning 1.5 million USD more in sales.

26. 2 Guns (2013)

Denzel Washington in 2018. Photo By MTV UK –

2 Guns is an adaptation of the 2007 comic book series created by Steve Grant. It featured Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington as the main characters. It was released in August 2013. 

Unlike most robberies, the burglars in 2 Guns are undercover agents used to capture the drug lord Papi. They rob him of 40 million dollars from his bank account in Texas.

2 Guns was listed as the number one Box Office movie after its debut selling over 27 million USD in its first weekend.

Find out about the 20 most talented black actors of all time including Denzel Washington on the website.

27. Hell or High Water (2016)

Hell or High Water is a tale about two siblings who become criminals to save their family from debt. Tanner and Toby get their hands dirty when they first rob the Texas Midlands Bank. Two rangers are later assigned the robbery case and go on the hunt for the Howard siblings.

Hell or High Water was a commercial success. It received over 100 nominations winning 18  of them. It won Best Thriller Movie in the 2016 Golden Tomato Awards and Best Film in the 2016 San Diego Film Critics Society.

28. The Whiskey Bandit (2017)

The Whiskey Bandit is a Hungarian crime movie released in 2017. It was based on the story of Attila, a ‘90s crook from his early teens to his older years.

Attila immigrates to Hungary in search of greener pastures and becomes the country’s most successful bank robber. He was named the whiskey bandit because before executing a robbery, he would take a shot of the liquor.

On IMDb, the film was rated 7.5 out of 10.

29. Den of Thieves (2018)

Den of Thieves is an action film featuring big industry names such as 50 Cent, Gerald Butler, and Pablo Schreiber. It was released in January 2018.

Merrimen and his crew successfully rob the Pico Rivera Savings & Loan bank and the Federal Reserve. One of the gang members betrays the crew and transfers the money to an offshore account in Panama.

In North America, it made the top three in box office movie listings. A sequel is in the works and its release date will soon be announced.  

30. Destroyer (2018)

Destroyer is a crime film based on the revenge of the undercover police officer, Kidman, on a group of bank robbers. It was first released during the annual Telluride Festival (August) and later in American theatres (December).

In 2019, the film was nominated for the Golden Globes, Satellite Awards, and Los Angeles Online Film Critic Society. Nicole Kidman won Best Actress in the 2018 Nevada Film Critics Society.

Whether the films end with the death of the burglars or their successful escape, these bank robbery movies will surely keep you n the edge of your seat!

Find out about the most famous bank robberies of all time on the Discover Walk website.