Teresa Palmer, the magnetic Australian actress whose genre-hopping career has spanned zombie romance (Warm Bodies), witchy fantasy (A Discovery of Witches), and high-octane action (The Fall Guy), is diving into uncharted territory. Deadline reports that Palmer has joined the ensemble of 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, a darkly comedic caper directed by Frankie Shaw (SMILF) for Amazon MGM’s Orion Pictures. The film, now shooting in Ireland, stars Liam Neeson as a retired criminal thrust back into chaos by the absurdly bold scheming of his granddaughter and her friends.
Neeson, Hollywood’s go-to gravitas machine for grizzled redemption arcs, plays Danny, an ex-bank robber seeking quietude until his past resurfaces. When his sharp-witted granddaughter Paige (Talia Ryder, Never Rarely Sometimes Always) learns his former crew is dragging him into one last heist to settle a debt, she recruits her trio of misfit pals (Whitney Peak, Jack Dylan Grazer, Spike Fearn) to out-con the cons—by robbing the bank first. Palmer, in a sly twist, steps into the role of the bank’s manager, whose professional façade cracks when she becomes entangled with a robber, adding a layer of romantic farce to the high-stakes mischief.
Adapted by Matt Robinson from Matthew Rosenberg and Tyler Boss’ cult graphic novel, the project melds the deadpan wit of Superbad with the nervy thrills of Baby Driver. Shaw, whose directorial voice crackles with irreverent humanity, seems an inspired choice to navigate this tonal tightrope. Producers Picturestart, Miramax, and Point Grey are betting on the script’s cultish edge to cut through a market saturated with cookie-cutter heist flicks.
For Neeson, the role offers a fresh spin on his late-career action-hero persona—less brooding vengeance, more world-weary charm. But it’s Palmer who intrigues here. As the bank manager caught between duty and desire, she’s poised to deliver the kind of screwball-meets-noir performance that could redefine her as a character actor with leading-lady chops. Her dance card remains full: She’s set to star opposite Russell Crowe in Bear Country, lead two limited series (The Family Next Door and The Last Anniversary), and recently charmed TIFF audiences in the rom-com Addition.
4 Kids Walk Into A Bank joins a wave of graphic novel adaptations (The Kitchen, Road to Perdition) mining existential grit from criminal antics. But with its Gen Z protagonists and Shaw’s knack for balancing heart and absurdity, this could be the one that steals the vault—and maybe a few awards—if the script’s caper doesn’t collapse under its own audacity. Either way, Palmer’s ascent as Hollywood’s stealth MVP continues. Bank on it.
Source: Deadline
