Nicholas Hoult’s New Heist Thriller Deemed “One Of The Year’s Biggest Surprises” In First Reactions

Published Nov 11, 2026, 9:19 AM EST

Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.

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Nicholas Hoult's new heist thriller has been deemed "one of the year's biggest surprises."

First reactions are now in for How to Rob a Bank, with testimony claiming it's a surprisingly fantastic part of 2026's movie lineup according to critics. Hoult's latest movie sees him portray Ryan, the leader of a group of bank robbers who livestream their heists and give money to people. Their heists are driven by personal stakes, something the police begin to investigate with the help of a former thief. The movie is directed by David Leitch, whose other recent work includes the action films Bullet Train and The Fall Guy.

Now, first reactions to How to Rob a Bank have arrived, confirming a positive reception from those who've seen the movie early. The string of success for the movie comes ahead of its theatrical release on November 13, 2026, praising the film for its action, innovation, and for being a surprisingly good time as the year comes to a close.

Hunter Bolding of That Hollywood Show called the movie "kind of shocking in its message and what it passes off to the audience," saying "It’s more than just dumb action" and carries a "good dose of emotion. Those frustrated with our current society will love this."

Junior Felix of That Hollywood Show also chimed in, calling it "not your ordinary bank heist film." He says that "David Leitch goes all in with a fresh original idea that deals with current headlines we're experiencing in this society," following up by praising the movie for the risks it takes: "Truly daring films are a dying breed and it's refreshing to see this."

Christopher Rates It praises it for "kinetic, high-octane police chases, shootouts, and robberies that take place, even with the small Bonny and Clyde touch it has." He also says that, while "The stylised [sic] editing keeps you engaged with the story and thoroughly entertained," it's also "David Leitch’s weakest movie" due to poor character writing.