The Ocean’s prequel may have found its new writer, director, and male lead in Bradley Cooper.
According to Deadline, Cooper is in talks to write and direct the untitled Ocean’s prequel, with the possibility that he might also star opposite Margot Robbie in the heist movie. If the deals close, Cooper will replace Lee Isaac Chung as director, who departed earlier this month due to creative differences, and Ryan Gosling, who was originally in talks for the male lead way back in 2022.
Warner Bros. wants to begin shooting the prequel before the end of 2026. While plot details remain under wraps and seem destined to change if Cooper is closing a deal to write the script, the original pitch for the Ocean’s prequel was to focus on Danny and Debbie Ocean’s parents in 1960s Europe.
The Ocean’s prequel would serve as Cooper’s fourth directorial effort, after A Star Is Born, Maestro, and Is This Thing On?. It will also be his first franchise movie, with the Ocean’s prequel set to be the fifth installment in the long-running heist series.
What’s interesting about the reported shooting window for the prequel is that it is roughly along the lines of when George Clooney claims Ocean’s Fourteen will begin filming with David Leitch as director. This could mean that fans will be treated to two new entries in the franchise, possibly as soon as next year.
Ocean’s Fourteen reunites Clooney with his Ocean’s trilogy co-stars Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts. In December 2025, Clooney shared that the sequel will be inspired by Going in Style, the ’70s comedy about a group of aging criminals.
“There was something about the idea that we’re too old to do what we used to do, but we’re still smart enough to know how to get away with something, that just appeals to me,” said Clooney to Variety. “They’ve lost a step, and they need to find a way to work around their limitations.”
The Ocean’s Eleven prequel and Ocean’s Fourteen do not have release dates yet. We’ll keep you posted when they do.
