Ocean's 14 - Will It Ever Happen?
Steven Soderbergh's beloved "Ocean's" franchise follows the exploits of master thief Danny Ocean (George Clooney) as he and his crew pull off a series of elaborate heists around the world — heists that grow more grandiose and absurd with each successive film.
"Ocean's Eleven" sees Danny and his fledgling crew of con men taking down three separate casinos throughout Las Vegas, earning themselves a massive payday and helping Danny win back his ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts). "Ocean's Twelve" follows the crew as they travel to Europe to steal a Fabergé egg, while "Ocean's Thirteen" brings the gang back to Las Vegas for a revenge-fueled diamond heist. Though "Ocean's Thirteen" sees Danny and his team riding off into the sunset after their big score, fans online have continually wondered whether or not these professional thieves could return for one final job.
Indeed, speculation about a possible "Ocean's Fourteen" has run rampant over the years, and to this day it's still unclear whether or not the film will ever happen. Here's everything we know about the development of "Ocean's Fourteen" and whether or not this long-awaited sequel will ever see the light of day.
Why isn't Ocean's Fourteen happening yet?
As many fans of the "Ocean's" franchise will know, one of the main reasons that "Ocean's Fourteen" hasn't happened is the tragic death of series staple Bernie Mac, who passed away unexpectedly in 2008 due to complications from pneumonia.
In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, "Ocean's" cast member Don Cheadle said that tentative discussions for "Ocean's Fourteen" were ongoing as of 2008 and that the death of Mac essentially pulled the rug out from under them. "We were talking about it, and then Bernie passed, and very quickly we were like, 'No, we don't want to do it,'" Cheadle explained. Fans of the series will remember that Mac played card dealer Frank Catton throughout the first three "Ocean's" films, often working as an insider during the team's various casino heists.
Franchise staples George Clooney and Brad Pitt both released heartwarming tributes to Mac after his death, emphasizing the humor he brought to their lives and his importance to the series itself. Cheadle's comments and the tributes of other "Ocean's" actors have made it clear that Mac's death had a major impact on the entire cast, which is an important reason why "Ocean's Fourteen" didn't happen back in the day. Without the momentum of the original three films, it's likely that getting all the stars back together since then has just been too difficult.
What Steven Soderbergh has said about Ocean's Fourteen
Because the original "Ocean's" trilogy enjoyed an incredible amount of box office success (grossing well over $1 billion worldwide), it might surprise some fans to learn that Steven Soderbergh never planned to make "Ocean's Fourteen" in the first place. Soderbergh originally shut down the idea of a fourth "Ocean's" film during the 2006 Edinburgh Film Festival, saying, "'Ocean's Thirteen' will be the last one. Especially George [Clooney] wanted 'to go out strong'" (via MovieWeb).
The future of the "Ocean's" franchise became even murkier in 2013 when Soderbergh, who had directed every installment in the franchise, announced his retirement from filmmaking. At the time, Soderbergh publicly condemned the way that Hollywood treated its directors, saying that modern filmmakers weren't allowed the same freedom as their predecessors. He eventually returned to filmmaking with the 2017 thriller "Logan Lucky," which opened up the possibility of "Ocean's Fourteen" nearly a decade after "Ocean's Thirteen" first hit theaters.
During Don Cheadle's aforementioned interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cheadle revealed that Soderbergh was considering "Ocean's Fourteen" during the filming of 2021's "No Sudden Move." "I just did a movie with Steven and he said, 'I think there may be a way to do it again. I'm thinking about it,'" Cheadle said. The actor explained that the discussion didn't go much further than that, but it certainly is interesting to hear Soderbergh discussing "Ocean's Fourteen" more than a decade after he claimed the film would never happen.
What Matt Damon has said about Ocean's Fourteen
Like Don Cheadle and Bernie Mac, prolific film star Matt Damon has been a staple of the "Ocean's" franchise since the original "Ocean's 11" hit theaters back in 2001. Damon plays the accomplished thief and master pickpocket Linus Caldwell, son of the famous con man Bobby Caldwell and a fresh face in Danny Ocean's crew who's hired in the first film.
Linus is an essential member of the "Ocean's" team who frequently finds himself at the center of the group's elaborate heists, and if "Ocean's Fourteen" does happen, it wouldn't feel complete without Linus. Thankfully, Damon himself has been very clear about his desire to see the "Ocean's" franchise return, giving plenty of fans hope for "Ocean's Fourteen." "That's been my standing position since we wrapped 'Ocean's Thirteen,' since the day we wrapped it, I'm ready to work on 'Ocean's Fourteen," Damon said during an interview on SiriusXM. "It's always been about how would it look, you know, we've lost two members of our gang, you know, Bernie [Mac] and Carl [Reiner] and, uh, and so what, what would that movie look like?"
While Damon's enthusiasm for the franchise certainly ought to catch the attention of "Ocean's" fans waiting for this possible sequel, it's important to remember that he won't be the one at the helm of "Ocean's Fourteen." In a separate interview with People, Damon put the possibility of another "Ocean's” film firmly in the hands of Steven Soderbergh, saying that it's ultimately up to the director to decide if the film gets made.
Cheadle and Damon have both suggested that the main cast would be interested in Ocean's Fourteen
Exciting as it may be to hear Don Cheadle and Matt Damon discuss the potential of "Ocean's Fourteen," they're only two members of the immense ensemble cast that makes up the franchise.
The primary team working under Danny Ocean includes Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould), twins Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan, respectively), Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison), and The Amazing Yen (Qin Shaobo). Other characters who appear frequently throughout the series include the malicious casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who serves as an antagonist in the first two heists and an accomplice in the third. As improbable as it might be to reunite all of these A-list stars for another project, both Cheadle and Damon seem to think most of the cast would be up for "Ocean's Fourteen.'"
"I imagine the main group of us would be in. It would be interesting to see," Cheadles stated to Entertainment Weekly. In his aforementioned interview with SiriusXM, Damon went on to speculate that most of the "Ocean's" cast would be interested in "Ocean's Fourteen," revealing that they've all remained very close over the years. While Damon might be the only former cast member to come out and say he's ready to do "Ocean's Fourteen" whenever, it certainly seems like the main cast would be interested in a reunion.
Not all of the cast seems thrilled about the prospect of making Ocean's Fourteen
In spite of Matt Damon's assertions that the primary "Ocean's" cast would be interested in returning for "Ocean's Fourteen," fellow Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt might not be totally on board. Pitt plays Robert "Rusty" Ryan, the right-hand man to Danny Ocean, throughout the entirety of the original "Ocean's" trilogy.
Though Pitt is one of the most iconic members of the entire "Ocean's" crew, he had some choice words for the franchise at the 2021 NBR awards, implying that he wouldn't be too thrilled about the prospect of another "Ocean's" film. While accepting the award for best supporting actor for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Pitt was reported by Associated Press reporter Jake Coyle to have said, "My goals in life are pretty simple right now. Be happy, stay healthy and not get into a financial situation where I have to do 'Oceans Fourteen.' We'll see."
While this comment was almost certainly a joke, it's worth mentioning that Pitt also did not appear in the series' reboot-sequel hybrid "Ocean's 8," which did feature cameos from Qin Shaobo and Elliott Gould, as well as ones from Matt Damon and Carl Reiner that were unfortunately cut prior to release. These joking comments and his absence from "Ocean's 8" have cast doubt over Pitt's return to the franchise if "Ocean's Fourteen" does in fact get made.
What could be explored in Ocean's Fourteen?
While there has been no confirmed report about what the story of "Ocean's Fourteen" might be, we can speculate on the film's plot based on where "Ocean's Thirteen" and "Ocean's 8" left off. Longtime fans of the franchise will know that the original trilogy of heist films ends with Danny Ocean and company pulling another elaborate heist in Las Vegas –- this time taking down casino magnate Willy Bank (Al Pacino) as revenge for him betraying Reuben Tishkoff.
After an elaborate scheme involving stolen diamonds and causing an actual earthquake in Las Vegas, the team steals enough money to finance an entirely new casino, run by Tishkoff. "Ocean's 8" sees Danny's sister Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) taking charge of her very own heist during the Met Gala, and during that film, we learn that Danny Ocean is apparently dead. Given Danny's uncanny ability as a con man and manipulator, we can speculate that "Ocean's Fourteen" might reveal he's not actually dead at all, and that the grave we see Debbie visit is just part of another elaborate job.
Alternatively, "Ocean's Fourteen" could center around the next chapter for the crew from the original trilogy who are now without their leader and who still have to look over their shoulders for the vindictive Willy Bank. It's even possible that "Ocean's Fourteen" could combine the crews from Ocean's 8" and the original trilogy, bringing both Ocean siblings together for one monster heist to beat them all.
Will the upcoming prequel film serve as Ocean's Fourteen?
Though the fate of "Ocean's Fourteen" still remains up in the air, fans received good news in 2022 when it was announced that a prequel to "Ocean's 11" is being developed by Warner Bros.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the currently unnamed prequel will be set in 1960s Europe and will be an original "Ocean's" storyline that predates anything we've seen in the franchise. As intriguing as this premise might be, even more exciting is the fact that the film will reportedly be led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who broke box office records with "Barbie" in summer 2023. Rumor has it they'll be playing Danny Ocean's parents.
In June 2023, AP News provided an update on the film during their interview with "Austin Powers" director Jay Roach, who is set to helm the upcoming prequel. This report clarified that Roach was still developing the film but gave no indication as to when production might start. However, never fear — in December 2023, Variety reported that Warner Bros. was moving ahead with the project, so it clearly isn't stuck in development hell.
Is it simply time for the Ocean's franchise to die?
While "Ocean's Fourteen" continues to be a popular topic among fans of the franchise and former stars, at a certain point, we need to ask whether or not a new "Ocean's" film would actually be the right move.
The cracks in the franchise began to surface as early as "Ocean's Twelve," a movie that Don Cheadle says fans will insult directly to his face when they meet him. While "Ocean's 11" and "Ocean's Thirteen" both received favorable reviews from critics and fans alike, "Ocean's Twelve" was roundly abused by critics for its uninspired storyline and frustrating plot twists. It currently holds a mediocre 55% Critical Rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a slightly better Audience Score of 60%. "Ocean's 8" was more warmly received but still received some criticism for its plot and lack of originality.
Perhaps the biggest condemnation of "Ocean's 8" is the fact that no plans were ever put forward for an "Ocean's 9" or a similar sequel to this successful reboot, despite the fact that Sandra Bullock and her castmates have expressed interest in another project. On top of that, the fact that Warner Bros. is giving the franchise another "fresh start" with this upcoming prequel film doesn't exactly bode well for the future of the "Ocean's" franchise. If a company is forced to reboot the same franchise twice in five years, maybe it's better to simply let that franchise die, rather than try to catch lightning in a bottle for the third time.
Plenty of fans still seem on board for Ocean's Fourteen.
In spite of the developmental woes and critical inconsistencies that have plagued the "Ocean's" franchise, fans online have been extremely vocal in their support for a possible "Ocean's Fourteen," or even a sequel to "Ocean's 8."
"They should make Ocean's Fourteen, that would get adults to leave the house," X (formerly Twitter) user @davefranklin wrote in January 2023. Reddit user u/rocker2014 agreed that a new "Ocean's" film would be exciting in 2019, but acknowledged some of the weaknesses that have caused the franchise to falter, writing, "I really wish they could get Steven Soderbergh back to direct though. That was the biggest problem with Ocean's 8 was that it tried to replicate his aesthetic, but it really didn't capture it."
Other Reddit users like u/classic_eddie and u/4to6 seemed to believe that the franchise had run its course a long time ago and that it's time to let "Ocean's" end. Though some people may not be fond of the idea of another "Ocean's" reboot this late in the game, it's clear that many fans are still holding out hope for "Ocean's Fourteen" to hit theaters one day.
What has George Clooney said about Ocean's Fourteen?
We've heard from stars like Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and Don Cheadle, but what does the titular Ocean himself think? Well, in December 2023, George Clooney sat down with Uproxx to promote his directorial effort "The Boy in the Boat." During the conversation, things shifted over to the prospect of a new "Ocean's" movie, and Clooney actually inspired a little bit of hope about everybody's favorite heist franchise.
"We have a really good script for another 'Ocean's' now," Clooney said, "so we may end up doing another one. It's actually a great script." Clooney didn't say who wrote the screenplay or who would be returning, but he did say it would be similar to the George Burns' heist comedy "Going in Style," which follows a trio of elderly men who decide to hit a bank. Perhaps the "Going in Style" bit was a joke, with Clooney taking a jab at his own age, but it does indeed seem like there's a script in development, and we're hoping Lady Luck will bring it to the big screen.