Plot

A prequel, set before the events of Army of the Dead, which focuses on German safecracker Ludwig Dieter leading a group of aspiring thieves on a top secret heist during the early stages of the zombie apocalypse.

Six years before the apocalyptic events of Army of the Dead (2021), timid small-town bank teller Sebastian leads a solitary, uneventful existence against the backdrop of an unheard-of virus outbreak in Las Vegas. Fascinated by locks and safes, the enthusiastic YouTuber and theoretical safe-cracker will get the chance to shine when mysterious Gwendoline enlists his help to pull off the heist of the century: crack a quartet of impenetrable, Richard Wagner-inspired safes. However, as Sebastian and Gwendoline's band of thieves embark on a frenzied mission across Europe, obsessive Interpol agent Delacroix is hot on their trail, and things are starting to look bleak in Sin City. Now, in the face of impossible odds, one man is about to write history. Is insecure Sebastian destined to become a legend?—Nick Riganas

After charming audiences as the wisecracking hero Dieter in Zack Snyder's zombie blockbuster Army of the Dead, Matthias Schweighöfer takes centerstage in the film's prequel, which he also directs. Ditching the undead, Army of Thieves puts a modern spin on classic heist films with European flair and an unlikely love story. Produced by Snyder and co-starring Nathalie Emmanuel (the Fast and the Furious franchise), Army of Thieves chronicles the harrowing adventures that transformed Dieter from a sheepish German bank teller named Sebastian into the badass safe-cracker who became a fan-favorite character in Army of the Dead.

Sebastian's impassioned YouTube videos about the fabled safes designed by the locksmith Hans Wagner (Christian Steyer) catch the eye of Gwendoline (Nathalie Emmanuel), a beguiling career criminal whose take-no-prisoners exterior belies a desire to love and be loved. To Dieter's shock, Gwen enlists him to be part of her motley crew of some of Interpol's most wanted: the jack-of-all-trades Korina (Ruby O. Fee), rugged bad boy Brad (Stuart Martin), and getaway sidekick Rolph (Guz Khan). As the five misfits zigzag across Europe cracking a trio of impenetrable vaults known as the Ring Cycle - Das Rheingold, the Valkyrie, and the Siegfried - French law-enforcement officials Delacroix (Jonathan Cohen) and Beatrix (Noémie Nakai) are hot on their trail. Anchored by a simmering romance between Dieter and Gwen, Army of Thieves broadens the scope of Snyder's Army Universe while staying true to its vision as its own movie.