Will Packer Productions Sets ‘Love and Theft’ Adaptation at Universal Pictures

Angelique Jackson
·2 min read

Will Packer Productions has tapped Leon Chills to adapt Stan Parish’s “Love and Theft” into a new movie for Universal Pictures.

Based on Parish’s novel, which was published in 2020 by Penguin Random House through its imprint at Knopf Doubleday, “Love and Theft” is a global romantic heist film set in Las Vegas, Mexico and Spain.

More from Variety

Chills has previously written episodes for Netflix’s “Spinning Out” and Amazon’s “The Wilds,” where he was a story editor. On the feature side, Chills’ first spec sale was “Shadow Force,” an action drama sold to Lionsgate.

Packer and Johanna Byer will produce the movie, while Alvie Hurtado will oversee the production for WPP. Lexi Barta, Universal Pictures’ vice president of production development, will oversee on behalf of the studio.

Will Packer Productions and Universal Pictures are linked in a first-look deal and have had a long and lucrative partnership, producing hit movies like “Night School” and “Girls Trip,” which were the top-grossing comedies of 2017 and 2018 respectively. For their next collaboration, Idris Elba stars in the survival thriller “Beast,” which filmed in South Africa and is expected to debut later this year.

Other upcoming WPP and Universal projects in development include the London Hughes-starrer “Hot Mess”; teaming with EbonyLife to develop an action thriller based off Bloomberg’s, “The Fall of the Billionaire Gucci Master” article; as well as the erotic drama “Deeper” and “Like It’s the Last,” a romantic drama set in the world of track and field, from director Felicia Pride.

Overall, Packer’s production company has amassed a box office haul of more than $1 billion dollars, producing titles including “The Photograph,” “Little,” “Ride Along,” “Ride Along 2,” “What Men Want,” “No Good Deed,” “Think Like a Man,” “Think Like a Man Too,” “Takers,” “Obsessed,” “Breaking In” and “Stomp the Yard.” Packer will also produce the 2022 Oscars via his Will Packer Productions banner.

Chills is represented by Jordan Lonner at UTA; Nayfeld at Heroes and Villains; Hynick at Jackoway; Parish is represented by CAA; and Barer at The Book Group and Heroes and Villains.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Alex Caruso is a lock for All Defense, should Chicago Bulls still trade him?

    Or should they hang on to the defensive maestro until they are sure they won't need his services?

  • Australia says Palestinian UN membership bid builds peace momentum

    Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Saturday the country's support for a Palestinian bid to become a full United Nations member was part of building momentum to secure peace in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Australia voted on Friday with the overwhelming majority of the U.N. General Assembly in backing the resolution that would effectively recognise a Palestinian state. The United States had vetoed a recommendation that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership" in a Security Council vote last month.

  • Arvin High celebrated Mother's Day during their first ever 'Noche Cultural'mari

    The event included performances by the school's ballet folklorico and mariachi, but the main event was a performance by Mariachi San Marcos.

  • B.C.'s David Eby, Alberta's Danielle Smith watch Oilers-Canucks playoff game together

    VANCOUVER — Hockey brought a pair of provincial politicians together Friday when the premiers of B.C. and Alberta took in a playoff game between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. B.C. Premier David Eby and his Alberta counterpart, Danielle Smith, watched Game 2 from a private suite at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Several others were in the suite and the two premiers did not sit next to one another. Smith challenged Eby to a bet over the result of the best-of-seven, second-round Stanley Cu

  • Federal judge temporarily halts Biden plan to lower credit card late fees to $8

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge in Texas temporarily halted a plan by the Biden administration to lower late fees on credit cards to $8 that was slated to go into effect next week. The temporary nationwide injunction imposed by Judge Mark Pittman in the Northern District of Texas is a win for the big banks and major credit card companies, which collect billions in revenue each year in late fees and were looking to stop the proposal from going into effect. It is also a win for the U.S. Chamber

  • Gasser pitches 6 shutout innings in his debut as Brewers roll past slumping Cardinals 11-2

    MILWAUKEE (AP) — Robert Gasser allowed just two hits over six shutout innings in his major league debut and the Milwaukee Brewers trounced St. Louis 11-2 on Friday night to hand the Cardinals their sixth consecutive loss. Willy Adames hit three doubles with two runs and a pair of RBIs as the Brewers beat the Cardinals for a seventh straight time, continuing a streak that began last year. William Contreras scored three times, Christian Yelich had two runs and Rhys Hoskins and Jake Bauers each del

  • New report suggests water quality issues in Riviera Beach were caused by 'sampling error,' not dirty water

    New report suggests water quality issues in Riviera Beach were caused by 'sampling error,' not dirty water

  • Northern lights visible in New Hampshire

    The northern lights will be visible tonight and possibly into this weekend, all thanks to energy from the sun.

  • Founder of Trump Defense Firm Indicted in Somali Fraud Case

    Jeenah Moon/Getty ImagesThe federal judge overseeing a pregnancy discrimination case against Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign approved a bid by the ex-president and his team to switch to new legal counsel—bringing in a Maryland law firm where a top partner stands accused of bilking millions belonging to the nation of Somalia.Judge Katharine Parker signed off Wednesday on the replacement of the Trump camp’s old representation, LaRocca, Hornik, Greenberg, Kittredge, Carlin & McPartland, with a lawyer

  • Q1 2024 SANUWAVE Health Inc Earnings Call

    Q1 2024 SANUWAVE Health Inc Earnings Call

  • South Carolina’s pitching struggles again as Georgia takes game two

    The Gamecocks surrendered 10 runs against the Bulldogs on Friday.

  • Homers by Acuña, Albies and Olson in 3rd lead Morton and Braves to 4-2 win over Mets

    NEW YORK (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a titanic home run, just before Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson also went deep in the third inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 4-2 on Friday night. Charlie Morton (3-0) pitched seven splendid innings as the teams played through raindrops in a game delayed 55 minutes at the start. Atlanta won its third straight since getting swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend, with two off days in between. Francisco Lindor homered on Morton's first pitch in th

  • What We Know About Barron Trump and Oxbridge Academy Ahead of His Graduation Day

    Reuters/Erin ScottIt’s been a hectic week for Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, who was slated to make his first foray into politics later this year as a delegate at the Republican National Convention but had it walked back Friday—just a week before his highly-anticipated high school graduation.Little is known about the younger Trump’s time at Oxbridge Academy, with his three years there largely shrouded in secrecy as his parents kept him out of the public eye, but there have been glimp

  • Santana's solo shot lifts Twins over Blue Jays 3-2 in rematch of wild-card series

    TORONTO — Yusei Kikuchi wanted to start an important six-game stretch against American League rivals with some of his best pitching. Unfortunately, an efficient performance still wasn't enough as Kikuchi gave up the go-ahead home run to Carlos Santana in the fifth inning as the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday. Kikuchi said he was disappointed to lose the first game of a three-game homestand against Minnesota before the Blue Jays travel to Baltimore to face the AL East-le

  • ‘Mommie Dearest’s Rocky Road to Becoming a Cult Classic

    Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Everett CollectionAnna Maria Italiano from the Bronx traveled almost as far to become Anne Bancroft as Lucille LeSueur did to become Joan Crawford.When she was one month short of graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a casting director gave her a role in Turgenev’s Torrents of Spring for the TV show Studio One. The following year she tested for a movie role at 20th Century Fox. Studio head Darryl Zanuck saw her screen test, sa

  • Rory McIlroy four shots behind leader Xander Schauffele at Wells Fargo

    The Northern Irishman shot a faultless 18 holes on Friday at Quail Hollow.

  • Sigourney Weaver in Talks to Join Cast of ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’

    The "Star Wars" film is slated for release in 2026 The post Sigourney Weaver in Talks to Join Cast of ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ appeared first on TheWrap.

  • Lindsay Arnold Shares How 3-Year-Old Daughter Flooded Their House: 'This Is So Unfortunate'

    "All the floors on the main level need to be replaced," the 'Dancing with the Stars' alum said of the necessary repairs

  • Reports: WNBA franchise awarded to Toronto's Kilmer Group for 2026 season

    TORONTO — The WNBA's widely reported arrival in Toronto isn't just a good thing for women's basketball in Canada, but for women's sports in general, says one expert. Several media outlets reported on Friday that the women's professional basketball league had awarded a franchise to the Kilmer Group, which has a 25 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the owner of the NBA's Toronto Raptors and NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, among other sports properties. The deal, first reported by t

  • Mexico's ruling party presidential candidate slips, says outgoing leader led by 'personal ambition'

    Mexico’s ruling party presidential candidate slipped up during a campaign speech Friday and said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was motivated by “personal ambition,” but later acknowledged the phrase “could be misinterpreted.” In Mexico it is used to describe a desire for personal economic gain. Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum holds a comfortable polling lead ahead of the June 2 elections and has sought to link her candidacy to López Obrador, who founded their Morena party.