The burgeoning creative partnership between George Clooney and Sandra Bullock that yielded this weekend’s "Our Brand Is Crisis" (in which Bullock stars, Clooney produces, and David Gordon Green directs), is set to kick up a notch in the near future. A new "Ocean’s Eleven" film is in the works, only this time, in line with the recent Hollywood gender-swapping trend, it’s due to feature an all female line-up, with Bullock in the lead, and Gary Ross ("The Hunger Games," "Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville") directing.
The project was initiated last year by the power trio of late producer Jerry Weintraub, ‘Ocean’s’ trilogy director Steven Soderbergh, and the franchise’s main star, Clooney. Olivia Milch (“Queen & Country,” “Little Women”), who has become a go-to screenwriter for female-centric projects, has been working on the screenplay for months.
A project we’ve been tracking for much of the year, the female ‘Ocean’s’ has actually been quietly gestating since at least fall 2014, but we worried that it hit a major snag recently when the legendary Weintraub passed away this past summer (his memorial was held last month in New York and the aforementioned key players were all there). But sources close to the project tell The Playlist that the movie is still definitely in the works, and Milch has handed in a draft of the screenplay. Ross is a longtime Soderbergh friend and ally, and as she mentions in this recent press conference, Bullock has been close with her "Gravity" co-star Clooney for a long time now.
Weintraub, Clooney, and Soderbergh clearly became tight during the Section 8 and ‘Ocean’s’ trilogy years, and it seems like Bullock has joined that extended family. Her role in “Our Brand Is Crisis” was originally written for Clooney, so a Bullock-led ‘Ocean’s’ would not be the first time she’s stepped directly into Clooney’s shoes. It’s unclear how directly connected (or not) this remake/reboot/sequel/spinoff will be to the Soderbergh pictures, but everyone is keen on this new ‘Ocean’s’ project, and sources tell us Clooney may even cameo as Danny Ocean.
Somehow, this not-quite-so-tightly kept secret has not properly broken until now, but traces of it have been on the Internet for a few months — Amy Pascal alluded to the existence of this new ‘Ocean’s’ film in the notorious Sony leak from last year. The then Sony chief urgerd her team to move faster on her all-female “Ghostbusters” project when she got wind of the competing gender-swap ensemble film in the works (we referenced this a few months back).
The female ‘Ocean’s’ film is expected to be Ross’ next movie after he finishes up with “The Free State Of Jones” starring Matthew McConaughey, which was, in a show of confidence, recently bumped up to a prime May 13, 2016 release date. Plot details on the new ‘Ocean’s’ project are being held under wraps for now. — reporting by Rodrigo Perez
The all-female Ghostbusters is sloppy seconds, but this is just trash picking (being the 2nd remake of Ocean\’s 11). I hope all those idiots crying for more female roles are happy that the only additional female roles being made are gender-swapped remakes of older movies.
A gender-swapped reboot of a remake? Wonderful. Because that\’s what we all begged for. All they need to do is switch out the races to really make it sing. smh
I\’m rooting for Caitlin Jenner…in the Elliot Gould role (then it can be called Oceans 11.5)…also Tina Fey & Amy Poheler in the Scott Caan/Casey Affleck roles…Kathy Bates as the casino owner "mark", Kerry Washington who showed us she has the ability to go from helpless waif to "Wonder Woman gladiator" would be cool in the Linus (Matt Damon) role…actually, if plot opens on Linus mom (Cherry Jones) coming up with the idea or helping Bullock "recruit" that could be a cool bridge…especially if Damon in a cameo keeps second guessing her or whining because there\’s no slot for him…and he has no problem dressing up as proven with the nose in 13… Ok, all this proves is I need a life, sorry for taking up your time
According to the IMDb, Sandra directed a short film with McConaughey, Del Toro and Octavia Spencer in it. Anybody ever see it?
Didn\’t they already make the all female Ocean\’s movie in 2008 with Mad Money? XD
Sandra bullock, Drew Barrymore, Renee zellweger, Tina fey, Toni collette.
Just watched an interview with Sandra and Anne Thompson where Sandra indicates she doesn\’t have any interest in directing.
I\’d be down for this, with the addition of Lupita Nyong\’o, Viola Davis, Salma Hyek, Jennifer Garner, Lucy Liu, Kristen Chenowith, Allison Janney, Michelle Rodriguez, and Leslie Jones. FKAtwigs should do the theme song.
I think a good choice:
Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson,
Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Rodriguez, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Julia Stiles, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Yvonne Strahovski, Ashley Judd
@Jane I agree with you, I love the Ocean films but I rather they just wrote an original script that is female centric.
Oops… Meant "Roles" for women, not bread.
Are folks just too lazy to actual write rolls for women instead of replacing men or doing all female re-boots? Women should get new and fresh material as well. Just seems a bit lazy. But I am not for re-boots whether they are all female or all male. There is a need to new stuff, period.
Report fully "confirmed" by EW, nice work!
And I guess making an effort to actually have a female director – why not Bullock??? – is just too much.
Well I\’m always up for a good heist movie so why not. Curious if they would make Bullock be Danny Ocean\’s sister or something so they could realistically use the "Ocean\’s" in the title.
So I guess that Gary Ross no longer intends to make \’Burial Rites\’ with Jennifer Lawrence (at least any time soon it seems).