Timothée Chalamet & James Mangold Reunite for High-Octane Motocross Heist Thriller High Side

Fresh off their Oscar-nominated collaboration on A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold are gearing up for another cinematic adrenaline rush. The dynamic duo is now attached to High Side, an action-packed motocross heist movie that’s quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s hottest properties.

High Side is based on an unpublished short story by Jaime Oliveira, and while the project is still in the pitch phase, it’s already revving up serious interest across the industry. Produced by Chernin Entertainment, the project is being shopped by Sugar23, sparking buzz in both film and publishing circles for its unique blend of high-speed action and character-driven storytelling.

The plot centers on Billy, a former MotoGP prodigy haunted by a career-ending crash and a fractured family legacy. Struggling to hold together his family’s failing garage while caring for his addict father, Billy’s life takes a wild turn when his estranged brother, Cole, resurfaces with a dangerous proposition: use Billy’s riding skills to pull off a string of precision bank heists on superbikes.

As the brothers assemble a ragtag crew, including a woman who becomes Billy’s romantic interest, their small-town desert robberies escalate in ambition. Looming over their daring escapades is Lennox, an FBI agent with a complicated past with Cole, who’s determined to bring the crew down before their final, most audacious heist—timed with a massive motorcycle parade.

Described as a fusion of Point Break’s undercover intensity and Baby Driver’s kinetic energy, High Side promises to deliver heart-pounding motocross stunts alongside emotionally charged family dynamics.

For Timothée Chalamet, High Side marks a significant shift into high-octane action territory, a departure from his recent dramatic turns in Dune and the upcoming A24 sports drama Marty Supreme. Meanwhile, Mangold—renowned for his genre versatility in films like Ford v Ferrari and Logan—seems poised to craft another crowd-pleasing, character-driven action spectacle.

The project’s appeal is multifaceted. On the surface, it’s a slick, pulse-pounding heist movie tailor-made for modern audiences craving practical stunts and visceral thrills. Beneath the surface, however, lies a layered narrative exploring themes of brotherhood, addiction, and redemption—territory where both Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold excel.

Although no official studio has landed the rights yet, insiders suggest a bidding war is imminent, especially given the success of A Complete Unknown, which scored eight Oscar nominations and cemented Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold as a powerhouse pairing.

As of now, High Side remains in early development, but with a star like Chalamet attached and Mangold’s proven track record in crafting emotionally resonant action films, this motocross heist thriller could very well be the next big cinematic event.

Stay tuned—because High Side is already shifting into high gear.