JUSTIN SIMIEN AND CHRISTOPHER YOST TO ADAPT VAULT COMICS ‘HEIST: OR HOW TO STEAL A PLANET’ FOR CONFLUENTIAL FILMS

Tommy Oliver’s Confluential Films, the award-winning, Black-owned and Black-founded film, television and documentary production company and financier, is developing a feature film adaptation of Heist: Or How to Steal a Planet, a science fiction crime thriller from Vault Comics. Filmmaker Justin Simien (Haunted Mansion, Dear White People) is attached to direct the adaptation and Christopher Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) is writing the screenplay, with Oliver (The Perfect Find, Fancy Dance) producing. Wayne Horton, who brought the project in, is also producing through his production deal with Confluential Films.

“How To Steal Planet wowed me and I’m humbled by the challenge of bringing a genre bending dose of afro-futurism to the culture,” said Simien, Founder of Culture Machine. “I’m grateful for the inherent synergy between Culture Machine and Confluential Films as well as the chance to collaborate with the brilliant Christopher Yost.”

The comic, created by writer Paul Tobin and artist Arjuna Susini, is set on the planet Heist, home to billions of the worst criminals in the galaxy. The Pan-Galactic government has no idea what to do with the planet, but conman Glane Breld and his band of thieves know exactly what to do with Heist. They’re going to steal it. The story follows Glane on his madcap scheme to pull off the biggest heist in the history of the galaxy.

“I’ve been a fan of Vault for years, and Paul and Arjuna have created something so fun and cool with How to Steal a Planet. I’m insanely honored and excited to be part of bringing Glane and his crew to the big screen alongside Justin and Tommy,” said Christopher Yost

“Vault’s How to Steal a Planet is just a good time. I can’t imagine a better duo than Justin Simien and Christopher Yost to bring this to the screen, especially as a part of Confluential’s growing slate of tentpole films from creators of color,” said Tommy Oliver, Founder & CEO of Confluential Films.

Newly hired SVP, Film & TV, Liliane Bedford will oversee the project for Confluential Films. Damian Wassel and F.J. DeSanto will executive produce for Vault. Simien and Kyle Laursen will executive produce for Culture Machine.

Justin Simien is represented by CAA and Grandview. Christopher Yost is represented by Verve and Industry. Vault is represented by UTA, Industry and Weintraub Tobin. The deal was negotiated by Confluential’s Head of Business and Legal Affairs, Alexa Camarena.

ABOUT CONFLUENTIAL FILMS

Confluential Films develops, produces, and finances across film, TV, unscripted, audio, documentaries, and docuseries. Past projects include Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize Winner and Academy Awards® Shortlisted “Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” (HBO), “Fancy Dance,” starring Oscar®-nominated actress Lily Gladstone (Apple TV+), “The Perfect Find” starring Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers for Netflix, AFI Audience Award-winner “Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss” (HBO), the critically acclaimed HBO Documentary “40 Years A Prisoner”, as well as six seasons of the ground-breaking docuseries “Black Love”. (www.confluentialfilms.com)

ABOUT VAULT

Vault is a critically acclaimed entertainment company that curates bold new science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. We have been committed to working with historically underrepresented talent since day one. Purpose-built to create enduring fans, our expansive catalog of more than ninety original titles attracts a diverse and growing fandom. Launching new stories first as comics and graphic novels, Vault has partnered with leading companies like A&E, BET, Boatrocker, CBS, Netflix, Paramount, and others, to adapt its story properties to film, television, video games, and more. In 2024 Vault will launch Headshell, a line of graphic novels in collaboration with some of the world’s most iconic recording artists like Metallica, Def Leppard, the Beach Boys, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, Redman, Slash, and more. Press inquiries should be sent to: press@vaultcomics.com. Learn more at http://www.vaultcomics.com/

ABOUT CULTURE MACHINE

Culture Machine is a production company dedicated to inclusive content from marginalized voices poised to disrupt, activate and electrify popular culture. Culture Machine produced all four seasons of Justin Simien’s GLAAD and Gotham Independent Film award-nominated series Dear White People on Netflix, adapted from Simien’s own Sundance Jury Prize-winning feature film. Culture Machine is currently producing the Flashdance series reboot for Paramount+ with Simien set to direct a contemporary take on the classic Paramount Pictures film. Culture Machine is also producing the series adaptation of Image Comics’ best-selling comic Geiger created by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank for Paramount, as well as Hollywood Black, a 4-part docuseries for MGM+ representing the definitive chronicle of a century of Black cinema.

Author Profile

Al Mega

I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!