Amazon MGM Studios released the official full-length trailer for its new iteration of The Thomas Crown Affair on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Directed by, produced by, and starring Michael B. Jordan alongside co-star Adria Arjona, the heist thriller is scheduled to open exclusively in United States theaters on March 5, 2027. The preview introduces Jordan as the billionaire art thief and Arjona as the insurance investigator tasked with bringing him down, while behind-the-scenes guild rulings have unexpectedly awarded screenplay credit to the writers of the 1999 adaptation.

A High-Stakes Game of Cat and Mouse

The newly released footage establishes a globe-trotting game of deception set against European castles, sleek metropolitan cities, and prominent museums. According to ABC News, the trailer opens with Jordan’s Thomas Crown sitting across from Arjona’s insurance investigator, Nadia Bennet, inside an upscale restaurant as they analyze his psychology and relationship history through the lens of his private art collection.

"You know, when you first see someone's art collection, it really tells you a story about them," Bennet tells Crown in the footage, adding that she believes he is "fractured" and avoids serious relationships. Crown simply replies, "I don't like to be tied down."

Unlike previous iterations where the wealthy protagonist stole purely for the thrill of the game, Jordan’s character operates with a personal vendetta. According to Deadline, the trailer introduces the catchphrase "Revenge is a work of art," positioning Kenneth Branagh’s character—a wealthy collector who hires Bennet after a Vincent van Gogh painting goes missing—as Crown’s primary target. The preview also showcases wire-work action sequences alongside a supporting cast that includes Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira, Pilou Asbæk, and Aiysha Hart.

Jordan’s Sophomore Directorial Effort

The upcoming release marks Jordan’s second time directing a feature film, following his 2023 directorial debut on the boxing drama Creed III. Speaking with Deadline earlier in the production cycle, Jordan described the project as a long-gestating passion project that goes beyond a standard studio retread.

"When you're re-imagining something, it's not a remake. It's not a reboot. It's a re-imagination, and I'm really excited about it because I really care about this movie and its title," Jordan said. He noted that his goal was to maintain the franchise's signature style and rebellion while giving the protagonist a concrete mission, requiring a co-star in Arjona who could portray both strength and vulnerability as their characters fall in love.

According to The Playlist, Jordan produces the feature alongside Elizabeth Raposo, Marc Toberoff, Patrick McCormick, and Charles Roven. The production is backed by Amazon MGM Studios, Jordan’s Outlier Society banner, Atlas Entertainment, and Toberoff Productions. To score the thriller, the filmmakers tapped Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and eight-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste.

The musical legacy of the property dates back to the 1968 original, which won an Academy Award for the song "Windmills of Your Mind."

Unusual Screenplay Credit Rulings

While the trailer highlights a modernized revenge plot, the project's official writing credits link it directly to past adaptations. The property first reached theaters in 1968 under director Norman Jewison, starring Steve McQueen as a millionaire who orchestrates a bank robbery and Faye Dunaway as the investigator pursuing him. In 1999, director John McTiernan’s version shifted the protagonist's focus from bank heists to fine art theft, pairing Pierce Brosnan with Rene Russo.

That shift to the art world appears to have directly influenced the Writers Guild of America (WGA) credit arbitration for the 2027 release. According to an exclusive report by TheWrap, 1999 screenwriters Kurt Wimmer and Leslie Dixon have been awarded official screenplay credit alongside Drew Pearce, despite having no direct involvement in working on Jordan’s version.

Original 1968 writer Alan R. Trustman receives a "story by" credit alongside Matthew Michael Carnahan, who penned an earlier draft of the new film.

Industry outlets have presented differing summaries of both the film's lineage and its writing credits following the trailer release. While TheWrap and The Playlist cite the WGA ruling crediting Pearce, Wimmer, and Dixon for the screenplay and Trustman and Carnahan for the story, ABC News reports that the screenplay was written by Pearce and Jason Hall, based on a story by Trustman and Pearce. Meanwhile, UPI characterizes the movie directly as a remake of the 1999 film—which itself remade the 1968 feature—centering on a revenge-driven heist.

What to Expect Ahead of the 2027 Release

By scheduling The Thomas Crown Affair for March 5, 2027, Amazon MGM Studios is positioning the release in the early spring theatrical window—the exact same frame where Jordan launched Creed III to strong box office numbers.

The studio is betting on the combination of recognizable intellectual property, international locations, and Jordan's box office draw to attract adult audiences to theaters.

How does the 2027 version relate to the 1968 and 1999 films?

While the 1968 original centered on a millionaire pulling off a bank robbery, the 1999 adaptation changed the protagonist into an art thief. The 2027 film retains the art-theft premise of the 1999 version—leading the WGA to grant screenplay credits to the 1999 writers—while introducing a new personal revenge motive against a wealthy art collector played by Kenneth Branagh.

When will The Thomas Crown Affair be released in theaters?

Amazon MGM Studios has scheduled the film for an exclusive theatrical release in the United States on March 5, 2027. Additional distribution details or streaming windows have not yet been announced by the studio.

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