The Italian Job is a 2003 American heist action thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Mark Wahlberg, An American remake of the 1969 British film, the plot follows a motley crew of thieves who plan to steal gold from a former associate who double-crossed them. Despite the shared title, the plot and characters of this film differ from those of its source material; Gray described the film as "an homage to the original."Most of the film was shot on location in Venice and Los Angeles, where canals and streets, respectively, were temporarily shut down during principal photography. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, The Italian Job was theatrically released in the United States on May 30, 2003, and grossed over $176 million worldwide. Critical response was largely positive, with publications highlighting the action sequences, performances of the cast and humor. Gray and cinematographer Wally Pfister worked together to develop a visual style for the film before production began.