Margot Robbie to Star in ‘Ocean’s 11’ Prequel

Before there was an Ocean’s 11 there was … I don’t know, Ocean’s 10, probably?

What started off as a stylish remake of an old Rat Pack comedy has somehow become an ongoing franchise at Warner Bros. — even without the original actors who made the first Ocean’s 11 (or technically the second Ocean’s 11) such a hit in 2001. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and eight more buddies — plus director Steven Soderbergh — cranked out three popular and successful heist movies in the 2000s, and then when they decided not to continue the series, it was relaunched with an all-female cast (and Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean) as Ocean’s 8.

Now the franchise will continue with a prequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Margot Robbie will star in and produce a new Ocean’s 11 that will be directed by Jay Roach of the Austin Powers series and written by Carrie Solomon. The only details they have on the story is that it’s “is set in Europe in the 1960s.” (That could make it a sort-of reboot of the original Ocean’s 11, which was made in 1960 and starred Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., among others.

The Clooney and Soderbergh Ocean’s movies were great, but the reason they were great were … Clooney and Soderbergh. Ocean’s 8, directed by Gary Ross, was a disappointment, and I’m not sure there’s a ton of juice in an ongoing series about people with the last name Ocean who rob casinos. Of course, Robbie is a charming and likable performer, so there’s no reason a heist movie starring Margot Robbie can’t be great. It’s just weird that it can’t just be a heist movie with Margot Robbie; it has to be an Ocean’s 11 prequel.