The 15 Best Heist Movies to Watch After the Louvre Heist
By: Emily Burack (Town&Country)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The 15 Best Heist Movies to Watch After the Louvre Heist
The Louvre jewelry heist felt like a scene in a movie. Here, our favorite heist films to stream this weekend.
Silver Screen Collection//Getty Images
In under eight minutes on Sunday, thieves stole priceless French Jewels from the Louvre, and some jewelry experts believe they may be lost forever. In broad daylight, robbers climbed up a truck-mounted ladder, broke in to the museum's second floor, and smashed two display cases. On their way out, they dropped Empress Eugenie's crown, before making their getaway on motor scooters. French police are still searching for them.
The heist sounds like the plot of a film—and many people have been fascinated by the robbery, comparing what happened to their favorite movies. "Danny Ocean's crew stole more than this from Terry Benedict in 2001. Amateurs," one user on X joked, referencing that the estimated value of the stolen jewels is less than what was stolen in Ocean's Eleven .
The fascination many have of the Louvre jewel robbery is tied to the enduring popularity of the heist film. As Ekta Sinha wrote in Elle India this week on the appeal of the genre, "The heist isn't just about money or jewels. It's about control, teamwork, and the intoxicating belief that chaos can be orchestrated. We watch not for the loot, but for the plan, the whiteboards, the blueprints, the 'one last job' that never really is. It's the ultimate cinematic high: a mix of suspense, rebellion, and a dash of wish fulfillment. Because deep down, who wouldn't want to be part of something that audacious, something that takes precision, passion, and pure nerve?"
From the Ocean's franchise to both versions of The Thomas Crown Affair (pictured above, Faye Dunaway and Paul Burke in the 1968 film), here are 15 of the best heist movies to watch now:
How To Steal A Million (1966)
LMPC//Getty Images
Nicole (Audrey Hepburn), the daughter of an art forger, sets out to save her father from jail. When she plans to steal back one of his forged statues, she enlists "thief" Simon (Peter O'Toole) to help her. A romance between the two soon begins.
Ocean's Eleven (1960)
The Ocean's franchise kicked off in 1960, when World War II veterans Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) and Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) recruit their old unit to help them pull off five simultaneous robberies of Las Vegas casinos in an elaborate New Year's Eve heist.
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Warner Bros.
The franchise was rebooted decades later, with George Clooney as Danny Ocean. The remake film (which spawned two sequels, neither of which are as good as the first) follows Ocean pulling together a crew to rob the vaults of three Las Vegas casinos.
Ocean's Eight (2018)
Warner Bros
The Ocean's franchise got an all-women installment in 2018, with Danny's sister Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) leading a heist at the Met Gala. The ensemble cast features Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) is a dashing millionaire who robs a bank out of boredom. Independent investigator Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway) is hired by the bank to investigate the heist. What follows is sexy cat and mouse game.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
The film was remade in 1999, featuring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo as Thomas Crown and Catherine Banning. Instead of a a heist at a bank, the 1999 film sets the crime at a museum, with Crown stealing "San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk" by Monet from the Met.
Inside Man (2006)
Universal Pictures
Spike Lee's take on the genre stars Denzel Washington as NYPD's hostage negotiator as a robbery-turned-hostage situation unfolds on Wall Street. Masterminding the heist is Clive Owen's Dalton, who tells the story of the robbery from his jail cell.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Warner Bros.
This 2015 film starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and Hugh Grant, is based on the 1964 TV show of the same name. It follows a CIA agent and a KGB agent who team up to fight a global evil organization. While a spy film, it does feature fun heist elements.
The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
Universal Pictures
Jim Henson's directorial debut is a musical heist comedy film starring the Muppets. Need we say more?
Hudson Hawk (1991)
In this action comedy film, Eddie "Hudson Hawk" Hawkins (Bruce Willis) is blackmailed into committing art heists upon his release from prison.
The Bling Ring (2013)
A24
Sofia Coppola's crime film is based on the true story of a real-life "Bling Ring" gang of teenagers that broke into celebrities' homes in Los Angeles. While not a traditional heist film, it features the group (played by Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard) orchestrating numerous robberies.
The Pink Panther (2006)
Sony Pictures
There are many Pink Panther versions, but this 2006 version starring Steve Martin as the goofy and bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau has a special place in our hearts. In it, Clouseau must solve the theft of the famous Pink Panther diamond.
The Italian Job (1969)
Professional thief Charlie Croker (Michael Caine), recently released from prison, gathers a group to steal a cache of gold bullion being transported through Turin, Italy.
The Italian Job (2003)
Paramount Pictures
Inspired by the 1969 original but not a direct remake (more of a homage), the 2003 film follows a crew of thieves who set out to steal gold from a former associate who wronged them.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Miramax
Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut follows diamond thieves whose heist of a jewelry store goes terribly wrong. It stars Tarantino alongside Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, and Edward Bunker.
Emily Burack - Senior News Editor
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
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Sorry, Ms Burack, but you are wrong about how many casinos George Clooney's Ocean's 11 group planned to and did successfully rob - it was only one, the Bellagio, not 3.
I've seen about half of those movies, and must say that they are fun to watch.