George Clooney A Dumpster Fire
Oceans 14 is moving forward… and while this could be a dumpster fire a la Oceans 12 (where the cast treated the set like a playground), I’m hoping that enough time has passed where this could be a rare blockbuster sequel that is both resonant and garners major studio dollars.
Here’s what we know:
Warner Bros. greenlit the budget
Original cast attached: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle
New cast attached: Margot Robbie, Bradley Cooper
Clooney said the script was strong (more on this below)
Lee Isaac Chung (Twisters, Minari) is attached to direct.
Steven Soderbergh (dir: Oceans 11) is not involved
Prod Co: Smokehouse Pictures (Clooney’s company)
Prod Co: Robbie’s Lucky Chap
It’s rare for sequels to be of higher quality than the original (exceptions: Godfather 2, Dark Knight, and Top Gun: Maverick). But if the themes of the original, of friendship and betrayal, are maintained in Chung’s steady hands, it could be a hit.
Clooney teased the premise:
“It's actually a great script… the idea is kind of like Going in Style (1979).”
Here’s the synopsis for that film:
Joe, Al, and Willie are three old men who have resigned themselves to dying. One night, Joe hatches a scheme to put a bit of excitement back into their lives: robbing a bank (trailer).
Clooney also confirmed that at least part of the film takes place in the 1960s, with two fresh-faced actors playing his parents:
"Yeah! Margot Robbie is my mother? I've always thought that… Ryan Gosling is my father. Now when you think about it, it makes sense. Truly."
Now that we’re 23 years out from the original film, the feasibility of Pitt (61) and Clooney (64) pulling off such physically tedious heists (remember when they drop down the elevator shaft?) seems to allow for the characters to reckon with their age like Going in Style, albeit those actors were in their 70s.
Whatever we get, Chung, if he does come on board, has developed a massive talent for exploring and deepening this notion of family. We saw it in Minari, we saw it in Twisters (to some extent). The Oscar-nominated director seems to be fully equipped to bring new life to the favorite heist story.
We look forward to future developments.