Iconic Director Not Returning To Beloved Crime Franchise
While George Clooney is optimistic about doing an Ocean’s 14 movie, director Steven Soderbergh won’t be on board. “After we made the third movie, I felt like the series was very much concluded for me,” the filmmaker said. “When the studio approached me to see if I’d be involved in continuing the franchise, I told them no because it just doesn’t feel like a move forward for me. I’m chasing something else.”
Moving Forward Without Steven Soderbergh
But the news hasn’t deterred Clooney, who believes he has a really good script for a fourth film in the Ocean’s Eleven franchise. “It’s actually a great script,” the actor of the project. However, he doesn’t necessarily want to call it Ocean’s 14. Instead, Clooney wants to do a movie similar to Going in Style, a film that follows a group of retirees who decide to rob the bank that stole their pension money.
The Ocean’s Prequel With Margot Robbie
Like Ocean’s 14, Soderbergh also won’t be involved in the Ocean’s prequel movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Speaking at The Boys in the Boat’s premiere, Clooney seemed intrigued by the prequel and believes Robbie and Gosling are the perfect pair to play the parents of the franchise’s central character, Danny Ocean.
While little is known about Ocean’s 14, news about the prequel has filtered in. The movie will be directed by Jay Wright from a script by Carrie Solomon. The story will see Robbie and Gosling’s characters teaching Danny and his sister Debbie how to steal from the wealthy, with the pair gathering a team to assist them.
Instead of the familiar Las Vegas backdrop, the Ocean’s prequel is set in Monte Carlo in 1962. Only Robbie and Gosling have been officially confirmed as stars, with further casting to be announced. Robbie’s company, LuckyChaps, is producing the project and has previously reinforced its commitment to preserving the integrity of the franchise.
The Franchise Began In 2001
The Ocean’s movie franchise began with Ocean’s Eleven in 2001. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the story follows Danny Ocean (George Clooney), who assembles a team of skilled criminals to rob three Las Vegas casinos. Its success led to two sequels, Ocean’s Twelve in 2004 and Ocean’s Thirteen in 2007, with Ocean’s 14 hoping to join the fray.
Ocean’s 8
In 2018, the franchise took a new direction with Ocean’s 8, a spinoff featuring an all-female cast led by Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, Danny’s estranged sister. The story follows Debbie’s plan to steal a priceless necklace during the Met Gala in New York City. The film pays homage to the original trilogy while adding a fresh perspective.
Will The Original Cast Return?
An Ocean’s 14 movie would be a guaranteed success if Clooney managed to bring back the original cast. Brad Pitt added wit and style as Rusty Ryan, while Matt Damon portrayed the eager Linus Caldwell, who, with Danny Ocean, rounded out the core trio. The supporting cast featured Andy Garcia as Terry Benedict with Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck and Scott Caan, Carl Reiner, and Elliott Gould.Under the skillful direction of Steven Soderbergh, this star-studded lineup delivered a perfect blend of humor, camaraderie, and sophistication, contributing to the enduring popularity of Ocean’s Eleven as a heist film classic. It will be interesting to see if Ocean’s 14 is able to recreate the magic of the first movie in the popular film series which has become a genre favorite over the years.Source: Variety
