Crime Pays? Fox Agrees to Movie Deal with The Barefoot Bandit

Who could forget the incredible story of Colton Harris-Moore a.k.a The Barefoot Bandit?  Apparently, not Hollywood.  Deadline reports today that 20th Century Fox has signed an exclusive movie deal, worth as much as $1.3 million for the rights to the former teenage criminal mastermind's tale of thievery.

In case you missed it, The Barefoot Bandit went on a stealing spree that lasted two years and spread across nine states.  The kid stole everything (always barefoot) from basic home invasions to a boat, cars and a small airplane.  He now plans to use the ends from his movie deal to pay back the victims of his crimes.

Harris-Moore released a statement through his attorneys about the deal.

"I'm humbled to know I can now help the people I hurt, at least for the financial damage I caused them," he wrote in the statement.

"I have zero interest in profitting from any of this and I won't make a dime off of it.  It all goes to restitution.  That's what I insisted on from the beginning and the contract I signed guarantees it." 

The now 20-year-old Harris-Moore is currently behind bars awaiting his federal sentencing in October, and could face up to 10 years in prison, and has state charges to answer to as well.

Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk, J. Edgar) has been handed the task of writing the script for The Barefoot Bandit motion picture.  This story reminds me of Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can, and I can see it having the same box-office success as that film.