Percy Hynes White and Jeff Wahlberg headline Crime Novella, an indie romance crime-thriller directed, written, and produced by Omar de Soto, which wrapped production this summer across Albuquerque, New Mexico, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Mexico.
A Transgressive Return to Classic Outlaw Cinema
Shot entirely on 35mm film, Crime Novella follows two lovers on the run to save their relationship while testing the absolute limits of what they will endure to stay together. Producers on the project have described the feature as a modern descendant of Badlands and Wild at Heart, embracing a gritty, tactile aesthetic and a thoroughly transgressive spirit.
The film’s central couple, Cash and Valentine, form the emotional anchor of the narrative. Omar de Soto, whose feature directorial debut this marks, noted that the lead actors captured his vision from the very beginning. As de Soto stated of the production, Cash and Valentine have always been the heart of this film, and Percy and Jeff understood the world he was trying to build from the beginning, adding that the pair are intoxicating onscreen and that audiences simply cannot take their eyes off them.
An Ensemble Built Across Prestige TV and Arthouse Cinema
Beyond its leads, the production leans heavily on a recognizable supporting cast bridging independent cinema and prestige television. Zlatko Burić, who won Best Actor at the 35th European Film Awards for Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-winning satirical comedy Triangle of Sadness, joins the ensemble alongside Bobby Soto, recognized for his leading role opposite Shia LaBeouf in David Ayer’s The Tax Collector. Ava del Cielo, whose credits include Netflix’s House of Cards, rounds out the main cast.
De Soto praised the broader ensemble for grounding his stylistic ambitions, noting that Burić, Soto, and Ava del Cielo each brought their own special sauce and made the whimsical world feel lived-in.
The project carries significant behind-the-scenes backing. Centropolis Entertainment financed the feature, with Marco Shepherd serving as a producer alongside Paul Bennett IV of Replica. Roland Emmerich serves as executive producer, while Jessica Olthof and Helena Martel Seward act as co-producers.
Streaming Roots and Cinematic Aspirations
The feature arrives with built-in visibility through its cast’s extensive television credits. Percy Hynes White gained widespread international recognition for his portrayal of Xavier Thorpe in the first season of Netflix’s hit series Wednesday, alongside a prominent role in the Sundance coming-of-age comedy-drama My Old Ass. Meanwhile, Jeff Wahlberg most recently appeared in the third season of HBO’s Euphoria.
By bypassing digital capture in favor of 35mm stock and leaning into road-movie traditions, the filmmakers are positioning Crime Novella as an atmospheric, character-driven alternative in the current indie landscape.
