Wahlberg To Be In Italian Job Remake

F. Gary Gray is directing the film, with Donald De Line producing and Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan serving as exec producers.

Scripted by Donna and Wayne Powers, "The Italian Job" is based on the 1969 heist classic that starred Michael Caine, Benny Hill and Noel Coward.

That film, though considered something of a stylish classic because of its clever use of the tiny, high-speed Mini Cooper cars for a memorable chase sequence, was much more of a comedy than the new version will be. While the original was a gold heist set entirely in Europe, the new version will begin in Italy, but with the robbery taking place in Los Angeles.

BMW bought the Mini Cooper and is releasing the first new models of the automobiles in 2003. That's good timing, because the cars will figure prominently in the revamped plot.

Wahlberg will play Charlie Croker, a career criminal who heads the crew that masterminds a massive gold bullion take. It is made possible when they create the largest traffic jam in L.A. history. While that disables the populace, the criminals are empowered by their use of the Mini Coopers, which are incredibly fast but small enough to travel on sidewalks and the subway system while the city and the cops are immobilized.