Is Bradley Cooper now taking over the directing duties of the Ocean’s Eleven prequel?
Lee Issac Chung departs the project
It was previously reported that Minari and Twisters director, Lee Issac Chung, who was once attached to the Ocean’s Eleven prequel, has now left the production. A Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement, “This is an amicable split due to creative differences. Lee Isaac is a singular filmmaking talent whose vision and partnership have been invaluable to Warner Bros. and LuckyChap throughout this journey. Our experience with him has only deepened our enthusiasm to collaborate on future projects together.“
As the Paramount merger with Warner Bros. takes place, the prequel is said to be a special project that the studio is still focusing on, so the search has started for a new director. The plot of the prequel has been kept under wraps, but previous reports stated that the film would be set in 1960s Europe and follow the adventures of the parents of Danny (George Clooney) and Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock). Margot Robbie is attached to star, and Bradley Cooper had recently been in talks on joining the cast as well. The current screenplay is by Carrie Solomon and is based on characters created by George Clayton Johnson & Jack Golden Russell
Cooper may now become the mastermind of the heist
Although he was in negotiations to star in the prequel film, Deadline is now reporting that Bradley Cooper may now take over the project from Chung as the writer and director of the movie in addition to starring. The publication made sure to emphasize that talks are taking place, but no deal has yet been made. Robbie’s LuckyChap Productions is producing the film and sources have said that she and the creative team would be thrilled for Cooper to take on the duties after helming projects like A Star is Born, Maestro and Is This Thing On? All of his directorial efforts have garnered critical acclaim and awards attention.
Development of Ocean’s 14
In addition to the Ocean’s prequel, there’s another potential sequel in the works, which would attempt to bring back some of the original cast members, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt and a few others. Clooney teased the project back in 2023, saying, “We have a really good script for another Ocean’s now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script.” The actor wouldn’t spill any other details, only to say that “the idea is kind of Going in Style.” The film Clooney refers to is a 1979 heist comedy starring George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg as three friends who decide to rob a bank.
Clooney said the studio has approved the budget, so it all comes down to scheduling. “We just got the budget approved at Warner Bros. and we’re trying to set up,” he said. “It’s just scheduling, so it’s just setting a start date for us, probably start in about nine or 10 months, shooting.“
The post Is Bradley Cooper now taking over the directing duties of the Ocean’s Eleven prequel? appeared first on JoBlo.