After Rewatching The Ocean's Trilogy, I Have Ideas On How Ocean's 14 Should Play Out

Old favorites never go out of style, and Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy is a prime example of that practice at work. While there’s plenty of 2025 movie schedule delights available for your viewing, it’s always nice to slip back into something a bit more familiar, and dare I say quotable.

Since all three entries are now available to stream through a Netflix subscription, we’re all going to have plenty of time to return to the past. However, after having done so myself, I think I have some ideas on how George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s dream pitch of Ocean’s 14 could happen. At this point, you’re either in or your out - so let’s start the show, shall we?

Steven Soderbergh And David Koepp Should Partner On Ocean's 14

I know that Ocean’s Fourteen has a potential director already spoken for, and I’m not upset with the choice at hand. However, if we’re really returning to Danny and the gang, I think Steven Soderbergh should be stepping back into the director’s chair.

His style on display in Black Bag shows the man’s still got it, and his writer on that project, David Koepp, should also be on board. Their teaming just makes sense; and as Koepp’s Jurassic World Rebirth rules would reinforce, it’s important to keep sharp with a legacy-quel such as this.

Ocean’s 14 Should Be A Reversal Of The Formula

Three adventures have seen Danny Ocean running all sorts of confidence schemes and long con heists in the name of settling personal vendettas along the way. But this time, let’s make things interesting and put the returning gang on the offensive by forcing them to identify the tricks being used against them, and how to counter.

Whether it’s a team run by previous foes like Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) or François Toulour (Vincent Cassel), or some new evil we haven’t met yet, turning the tables would go a long way to keeping the Ocean’s series fresh. Also, you can’t seriously tell me that Toulour, also known as “The Night Fox,” has simply let Danny and company off the hook for bamboozling him at the end of Ocean’s Thirteen, can you?

We Need To (Slightly) Retcon Ocean’s 8

Sandra Bullock’s Ocean’s 8 introduced us to Danny’s sister Debbie, with the implication that our dear hero was dead. So while I’m not advocating we ignore director Gary Ross’ female forward spinoff, we need to explain that death away in this next story, if only so we can have Danny and Debby team up for the road ahead.

And for all of the fans who’ve stood by that one-off project all these years, there’s also the potential to draft some of those team members into the fray as well. Who wouldn’t want to see Cate Blanchett’s possible Ocean’s franchise return allow Lou Miller and Brad Pitt’s Rusty Ryan to snark at each other about which family member is the better team leader?

Danny Ocean’s Team Needs New Thieves To Set Up The Future

Unfortunately, a potential Ocean’s 14 would see the team without two of its most beloved players: Frank (Bernie Mac) and Saul (Carl Reiner). So if we’re going to come back to the well, there should be an option to snag some fresh talent in to help shore up the ranks. That suggestion is very important to the final note I’ll make in this entire enterprise.

Even without that in mind, there’s always been an eye on adding new and exciting talent to the Ocean’s world. That’s how colorful characters like Roman Nagel (Eddie Izzard) or even Andy Garcia’s previous Ocean’s Eleven villain have been roped in, and it would certainly help introduce a new generation to these high stakes shenanigans. Plus, it's a nice full circle moment, similar to how Danny helped induct Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) into the life of thievery.

Ocean’s 14 Needs To Stay As Experimental As Its Predecessors

I think the reason people aren’t too enthused with Ocean’s Twelve is the fact that it’s probably the most experimental one of the bunch. Well, that and the very meta “Julia Roberts” con that Tess gets roped into. While I can confirm that it’s the comparatively weakest entry of the three, it’s still better than just playing the hits in a cut and paste sequel.

Our next hypothetical entry should keep that spirit in mind, if only because Ocean’s Thirteen still wandered outside of the box, and managed to be an entertaining follow-up. The fact that this project is a legacy-quel opens the door for a new tone/style quite freely, as this sort of reflection on the past hasn't been the central focus of an Ocean's adventure just yet.

That Ryan Gosling/Margot Robbie Prequel Needs To Be Set Up

For years, an Ocean’s Eleven prequel has been in development, with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling slated to play Danny and Debbie’s parents. While Robbie’s 2024 update on the project didn't give us much info to go on, including some memories of the Ocean family heist vacations with their mom and dad would be a nice lure to tease the hotly anticipated project.

Whether those adventures are part of the prequel story or if they're merely inspiration for whatever does happen, it serves the same purpose. Getting this movie back on the rails would be a lot easier if there's another legacy crew entry to light the fires.

Ocean’s Fourteen Should Be The Final Sendoff For The Original Crew

The last suggestion for Ocean’s Fourteen would be to let it be the actual final adventure of Danny Ocean. Unless George Clooney and Brad Pitt have somehow convinced their partners in cinematic crime to reup for another potential trilogy, I have a feeling that this next entry is intended to be the big finale.

But with new, charismatic young thieves at the head, a fresh series of exploits could take root. Much like there’s a code among people who shook Frank Sinatra’s hand, the ability to say you ran with Danny Ocean’s crew on their big victory lap would be a hell of a calling card to dine out on.

To keep the series going in such a manner would ultimately honor Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 classic, as it’d offer the same generational handshake that picture offered to the youth of the day. Then again, there’s a chance that this project may unexpectedly fall apart, rendering all of this concern moot.

I really hope that isn’t the case, because after seeing the Ocean’s trilogy again with fresh eyes, I think we really need breezy, clever, not-so-serious crime capers to make a comeback. And if you need three big reminders why, you can stream this entire series through Netflix for inspiration.