Oscar-nominated filmmaker Bradley Cooper is now circling to write, direct and star in Warner Bros.’ “Ocean’s 11” prequel, a week after “Twisters” director Lee Isaac Chung dropped out of the project over creative differences, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.
It’s early days and no deals are signed, but Warner Bros. is looking to keep the project on track to start production before the end of the year. Margot Robbie remains attached to star and produce through her LuckyChap banner.
The project is said to take place in the 1960s, but with Cooper potentially coming aboard to write the script plot details may change. Ryan Gosling was at one point attached to star opposite Robbie in the project but dropped out.
If a deal makes, Cooper would write, direct and star just as he’s done with his last three directorial efforts. He made a splash with his critically acclaimed 2018 redo of “A Star Is Born,” which he then followed up with 2023’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro.” Both film earned a bevy of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Most recently, Cooper co-wrote, directed and co-starred in the smaller scale dramedy “Is This Thing On?,” which was released last fall.
Warner Bros. has been looking for ways to expand the “Ocean’s” franchise for years. Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded and acclaimed redo was released in 2001 and spawned two more sequels, the international “Ocean’s Twelve” in 2004 and the trilogy capper “Ocean’s Thirteen” in 2007.
The franchise was revived in 2018 with the female-centric spinoff “Ocean’s 8,” starring Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett. And now “Ocean’s Fourteen” is in the works with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and more slated to return, while David Leitch is attached to direct as Soderbergh bowed out of the franchise.
Clooney has described that direct sequel as a “Going in Style”-esque follow-up that finds the crew attempting another heist in their older age.
The news of Cooper’s involvement in the prequel was first reported by Puck’s Matt Belloni.
