The Ocean’s franchise just found its new ringleader. Bradley Cooper is now the top choice to write, direct and star alongside Margot Robbie in Warner Bros.’ long-awaited Ocean’s Eleven prequel, a bold move that could finally push the troubled project into production this year.
Cooper Steps In After Director Shakeup
1 Bradley Cooper, who has been in talks to star opposite Margot Robbie in the new Ocean’s 11 prequel, is now also at the top of the list to write and direct the Warner Bros. movie. 2 Puck’s Matt Belloni is reporting that Cooper has decided to take the reins himself and direct the project; no deal has been signed just yet, but it sounds practically sealed. 3 Belloni clarified in a post on X, writing “No deals yet, but goal is to shoot this year.”
The news comes just days after filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung walked away from the director’s chair. 7A report from Deadline stated that Chung exited after an “amicable split due to creative differences” with Warner Bros.
3 Warner Bros. and LuckyChap, the production company co-founded by Margot Robbie, released a joint statement following Chung’s departure. The statement said, “Lee Isaac is a singular filmmaking talent whose vision and partnership have been invaluable to Warner Bros. and LuckyChap throughout this journey.”
Bradley Cooper Margot Robbie Ocean’s Eleven prequel 1960s Monaco heist film
A Project That Has Changed Hands Multiple Times
This prequel has had one of the rockiest development roads in recent Hollywood memory. Here is a quick timeline of how the project has evolved since its announcement:
- May 2022: 13A prequel film set in 1960s Europe was revealed to be in development. Margot Robbie was set to star and produce, while Jay Roach was attached to direct with Carrie Solomon writing the script.
- August 2022: 13Ryan Gosling entered early negotiations to co-star alongside Robbie.
- December 2023: 13It was revealed that the characters Robbie and Gosling would play are the parents of Danny and Debbie Ocean.
- October 2025: 4Multiple outlets reported that Cooper was in talks to co-star in the movie with Robbie. 2Cooper replaced original co-lead Ryan Gosling.
- March 2026: 2Chung suddenly exited the project. Cooper is now being eyed to take over as writer and director.
Four years. Three directors. Two male leads. And still no cameras rolling. That fact alone shows just how tricky it has been to get this one right.
What We Know About the Story
2 The film would reportedly be titled “Oceans,” with Cooper and Robbie playing the parents of Danny Ocean, the character portrayed by George Clooney in Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven. In the film, the Oceans will teach their children, young Danny and Debbie (the latter originally played by Sandra Bullock), the art of stealing from the rich. 2 Set against the backdrop of the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix, the project has been described as a stylish, old-school caper inspired by Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief.” 3 Reports have also identified Benicio del Toro as part of the cast, playing a villain connected to the film’s heist storyline. 6 The project is said to take place in the 1960s, but with Cooper potentially coming aboard to write the script, plot details may change. 2 Production is expected to kick off this summer in Monaco.
Key Fact: 5The most recent pass at a script was by Carrie Solomon, based on characters created by George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell. Cooper is now expected to take over writing duties.
Why Cooper Makes Sense Behind the Camera
If confirmed, this would mark Cooper’s fourth time in the director’s chair. His track record behind the camera speaks volumes.
18 A Star Is Born is a 2018 American musical romantic drama produced and directed by Bradley Cooper in his directorial debut. 18 It emerged as a major critical and commercial success, grossing over $436 million worldwide. 26 The film racked up eight Oscar nominations, including for best picture. 23 Cooper next directed, produced, and co-wrote Maestro (2023), a biographical drama about the relationship between composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. The film earned him additional Oscar nominations and showed his growth as a visual storyteller. 23 In total, Cooper has been nominated for twelve Academy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award. 23 His films have grossed $13 billion worldwide.
| Film | Role | Box Office | Oscar Nominations |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Star Is Born (2018) | Director, Writer, Star | $436M worldwide | 8 nominations |
| Maestro (2023) | Director, Writer, Star | Limited release (Netflix) | 7 nominations |
| Is This Thing On? (2025) | Director, Writer | Theatrical | TBD |
An Ocean’s prequel gives Cooper something different from his earlier, more awards-driven work. It is a crowd-pleasing genre film, one that demands style, charm and sharp pacing over raw emotional weight.
That shift could be exactly what Cooper needs to show Hollywood he can play in every sandbox, not just the prestige lane.
Two Ocean’s Movies in One Year?
What makes this even more exciting for franchise fans is the fact that Cooper’s prequel is not the only Ocean’s project in the pipeline.
11 A sequel to Ocean’s Eleven and 2004’s Ocean’s Twelve is in development, titled Ocean’s 14. 31 Ocean’s Fourteen will be directed by David Leitch, who is best known for directing The Fall Guy and Deadpool 2. 28 Clooney confirms the sequel will reunite him with his longtime co-stars, including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia and Don Cheadle. 31 Ocean’s Fourteen is expected to begin shooting in either July or August 2026. 11 Julia Roberts, who is set to reprise her role as Tess Ocean, said in January that she was initially skeptical that the film would be worth the effort, but was pleasantly surprised after seeing the script.
That means Warner Bros. could potentially have two separate Ocean’s productions shooting in the same year. One set in the glamorous 1960s. One reuniting the original 2000s crew. The studio is clearly betting big on this franchise.
With the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger looming, 14the Ocean’s prequel remains an important project to get up and running. Getting cameras rolling before the corporate landscape shifts could be a priority for everyone involved.
The Ocean’s universe is about to expand in a way fans have never seen before. A prequel that explores where Danny Ocean’s story truly began, paired with a reunion that brings the original gang back together. Whether Cooper can pull off the triple threat of writing, directing and starring in a franchise this beloved is the question everyone in Hollywood will be watching. One thing is certain: the heist is on. Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Who do you want to see join the cast?
