XYZ Films and partner Time Inc Studios have joined Protozoa Pictures on a heist project about the 2006 Securitas robbery in the UK that Darren Aronofsky is eyeing to direct.

Aronofsky will produce with Protozoa’s Scott Franklin alongside XYZ partners Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer and Aram Tertzakian. Time Inc Studios chief Paul Speaker will serve as executive producer.

Belfast-born writer Kerry Williamson is adapting the script from an underlying rights package that includes the Sports Illustrated article Breaking The Bank by Jon Wertheim and Howard Sounes’ book Heist: The Inside Story Of The World’s Biggest Robbery.

The story will follow events surrounding the audacious robbery in which a gang took a security guard and his family hostage, raided the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent, and made off with £53m ($85m).

“The story is a very unique British heist tale with colourful London characters,” Aronofsky said. “I’ve always wanted to shoot in England and Kerry is the perfect writer to bring authenticity to this outrageous true bank job.”

”We couldn’t be happier with the creative team that’s galvanised around this project,” XYZ Films said. “Kerry and Darren will deliver a film that’s both authentic and exciting –  a heist thriller whose action comes from a visceral character place.”

Time and XYZ established a partnership last year to develop and produce projects based on articles from Time Inc’s stable of publications.

Sports Illustrated’s Breaking The Bank was the first article to be developed for the joint venture. XYZ and Time recently hired Alex Holmes to direct their John DeLorean feature that is currently in pre-production and based on Fortune and Time articles among other underlying rights.