Janelle Monáe to Play Tanya Smith, Con Artist Behind $40 Million Heist, in ‘Never Saw Me Coming' Movie Adaptation

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Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to Tanya Smith's memoir "Never Saw Me Coming: How I Outsmarted the FBI and the Entire Banking System - and Pocketed $40 Million." Janelle Monáe will star in and produce the movie adaptation through her production company Wondaland Pictures.

Smith, who will serve as an executive producer in the film, is the consistently overlooked mastermind behind what's been referred to as "one of the single biggest threats to the entire United States banking system."

Described as a heist thriller that becomes "a powerful examination of systemic prejudice and economic inequality," the stranger-than-fiction story follows Smith's journey from teenager hacker to mastermind of the financial system. By 18, she had already orchestrated a long series of heists, accumulating millions of dollars while avoiding law enforcement as she went.

She was finally caught by the FBI, but they allegedly "refused to believe a Black woman could be behind such a complex crime," according to the project's official statement. She responded by coming up with an even more daring plan - outsmarting federal agents while building a $40 million empire of cash, diamonds, and gold bars. However, as the release continues, "her success drew deadly attention, and soon Smith found herself evading both bullets and law enforcement." Smith received one of the longest white-collar prison sentences in history before defending herself successfully and gaining her freedom.

Universal's acquisition of "Never Saw Me Coming" further solidifies the studio's trend of purchasing book rights, following its previous acquisitions of "The Woman in Me" by Britney Spears, "Reminders of Him" by Colleen Hoover, "James" by Percival Everett, and "Rules of Engagement" by Stacey Abrams.

Ryan Jones, senior vice president of production development, and Tony Ducret, director of development, will be in charge of overseeing the project for the studio.

Janelle Monáe, who is primarily recognized as a musician, has successfully combined her music career with roles in films such as "Moonlight," "Hidden Figures," "Harriet," and "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery." In 2018, Monáe's production company, Wondaland Pictures, secured a first-look deal with Universal. She is represented by Wondaland Management, WME, ID PR, Ben Rubenfield at Ziffren, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Janelle Smith is represented by attorney Mitchell Ostrove at Yorn Levine.

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