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Amazon MGM sets Valentine’s weekend for high-stakes heist
Amazon MGM has announced a headline-grabbing release date for Crime 101, the star-studded heist thriller led by Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry. The studio plans to open the film on February 13, 2026 — landing squarely on Valentine’s weekend and the U.S. President’s Day long weekend — a strategic move that underlines Amazon’s ambition to compete at the global box office.
Crime 101 is directed by Bart Layton, known for his genre-blurring work on The Imposter and American Animals, and is adapted from a short novel by crime writer Don Winslow. Layton co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Straughan, aiming for a taut, character-driven thriller that folds classic heist mechanics into a psychological cat-and-mouse game.
What the film is about
At the center of Crime 101 is detective Lou Lobznik, who is hunting a mastermind behind a string of multimillion-dollar jewel thefts. The thief — or thieves — operate according to a chilling set of rules dubbed "Crime 101." As the investigation tightens, the line between hunter and hunted becomes increasingly blurred, promising moral ambiguity and twisty suspense rather than a conventional shoot-’em-up.
First official images released so far highlight tense face-offs between Hemsworth and Berry, giving a sense of the film’s slick, noir-tinged visual style. These early stills suggest Layton is balancing big-figure action with close character work, leaning into atmosphere and confrontation rather than nonstop spectacle.
Cast, crew and where this fits in the market
Alongside Hemsworth and Berry, the ensemble includes Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Tate Donovan, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte. Produced by Working Title, The Story Factory, RAW and Wild State, Crime 101 is part of Amazon MGM’s wider plan to release a steady slate of theatrical films — reportedly 12 to 16 per year — positioning the company as a major studio voice again.
Comparisons to other heist films are inevitable: the film’s moral gray zones recall Ocean’s-style mind games but with the darker, character-first urgency of modern entries like The Gray Man or Layton’s own American Animals. For fans of Hemsworth’s action work (see Extraction) and Berry’s crime-thriller chops, this pairing promises both star power and serious dramatic stakes.
Trivia and behind-the-scenes notes: Crime 101 adapts a shorter Don Winslow work rather than a sprawling epic, which may explain the compact, rule-driven premise. Early community buzz online has been focused on the Hemsworth–Berry matchup and Layton’s directorial return to thriller territory.
Whether Crime 101 becomes a Valentine’s box-office surprise or a prestige-leaning thriller, it’s a clear signal that Amazon MGM is doubling down on big-screen moments. Keep an eye out for full trailers and expanded production stills as the release approaches.
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