Ocean's Eleven Prequel: New director possibly found
The filmmaker could also play the lead role
The development of the planned "Ocean's Eleven" prequel remains exciting. Now a new potential director has been brought into play: Bradley Cooper. According to insider Matthew Belloni, the Hollywood star is now said to be the first choice for the production. He is also being discussed for the screenplay. According to Belloni, there is no deal yet, but the aim is to start filming in 2026.
It is therefore not yet clear whether Cooper will ultimately take over. In any case, much remains unclear about the "Ocean's Eleven" prequel. What the story will be about exactly has not yet been revealed. However, it was speculated a few years ago that the plot of the film would be set in 1960s Europe. Even before the news of the possible director's post, Cooper was being touted as a candidate for the male lead. This would see him star alongside Margot Robbie, who is also on board as producer of the film. Before Cooper, Robbie's "Barbie" co-star Ryan Gosling had already been in talks for the leading role.
The fact that Bradley Cooper is now also being talked about as a possible new director is a result of Lee Isaac Chung's recent exit from the film. The "Twisters" director had already been working with Margot Robbie on the development of the prequel. However, it then came to an "amicable split due to creative differences", as the film studio Warner Bros. announced.
An Ocean's sequel is also planned
Fans of the "Ocean's" film series can currently hope not only for a prequel, but also for a sequel. In "Ocean's 14" the well-known actors from the original films could make their comeback, including stars such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle. Filmmaker David Leitch, who is known for "Deadpool 2" among other things, is in talks to direct.
It is hardly surprising that the "Ocean's" franchise is being kept alive. After all, the film series proved to be a great success at the box office. The first film, released in 2001, was particularly successful. Steven Soderbergh's casually staged crime comedy about a group of likeable crooks who want to rob a casino in Las Vegas generated 450 million US dollars worldwide. As a result, Soderbergh also directed the sequels "Ocean's 12" and "Ocean's 13". George Clooney, Brad Pitt and co. were also back in the cast. A large part of the audience also returned, bringing the two sequels over 300 million each.
The last film in the series followed in 2018. With "Ocean's 8", director Gary Ross made a spin-off with a female cast led by Sandra Bullock. This film was also quite successful, with box office takings of 297 million.
Bradley Cooper also celebrated behind the camera
Should Bradley Cooper actually take on the "Ocean's" prequel as director and screenwriter, the franchise would have gained another top-class filmmaker. The star has not only appeared in front of the camera in numerous films, including "Silver Linings Playbook" , "War Dogs" and "Nightmare Alley". Since "A Star Is Born", he has also been in demand behind the camera. The 2018 musical drama he directed was critically acclaimed and received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, in addition to numerous other honors. And also his current film "Is This Thing On?" not only features him again as an actor, but he also directed and co-wrote the screenplay.
