Bradley Cooper is reportedly set to take the helm of the upcoming ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel for Warner Bros., while also starring alongside Margot Robbie.
The move comes after previous directors Lee Isaac Chung and Jay Roach stepped away from the project. Cooper’s involvement as writer and director would mark his fourth feature behind the camera, following ‘A Star Is Born’, ‘Maestro’ and last year’s ‘Is This Thing On?’.
The prequel is expected to explore events preceding the 2001 casino heist comedy Ocean’s Eleven, which starred George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. Carrie Solomon has penned a draft of the screenplay, reportedly set in 1960s Europe, offering a stylish backdrop to the heist story.
The original Ocean’s Eleven premiered in 1960 with the Rat Pack, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 reboot was followed by sequels ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ and ‘Ocean’s Thirteen’, while 2018’s ‘Ocean’s Eight’ featured Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and Rihanna.
Clooney is also developing a new Ocean’s project revisiting the original group as older, seasoned criminals.
The prequel is among several projects in development from Robbie’s LuckyChap Productions at Warner Bros., which maintains a first-look deal with the studio following the success of ‘Barbie’.
Other upcoming projects include Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of ‘Wuthering Heights’ and a reimagining of ‘Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman’ directed by Tim Burton.
