The earliest announcement ofOcean’s 14has already confirmed that theOcean’sfranchise reboot will feel different from its predecessors thanks to a behind-the-scenes change.TheOcean’s 11movieshave a fairly cohesive tone outside 1960’s original heist caper. That Rat Pack vehicle is a charming piece of vintage crime comedy, but 2001’sOcean’s 11, 2005’sOcean’s 12, and 2007’sOcean’s 13feel of a piece with each other in a way that transcends their shared cast. There’s a reason 2018’s otherwise enjoyable reboot,Ocean’s 8, doesn’t quite recapture this tone.
TheOcean’strilogy was directed by Steven Soderbergh, a mercurial director whose screen oeuvre saw him bounce between ambitious experimental efforts and slick Hollywood fare throughout his multi-decade career. Soderbergh has directed major mainstream hits likeOut of Sight,Contagion,Magic Mike, andTraffic, but he has also worked on experimental movies likeFull Frontal,Bubble, and 2018’sUnsane.TheOcean’s 11franchisemarries Soderbergh’s Hollywood instincts with the director’s unpredictable edge, resulting in some surprising scenes like the moment inOcean’s 12where Julie Roberts’ character has to imitate the real-life Julia Roberts.
Ocean’s 14 Will Be The First In The Main Franchise Not To Be Directed By Steven Soderbergh
Soderbergh’s Direction Shaped The Style And Tone Of Ocean’s 11, 12, and 13
Few mainstream blockbuster directors have the same verve as Soderbergh, andOcean’s 8went with a more reliable option when the studio hired director Gary Ross. The director ofSeabiscuitandThe Hunger Games, Ross was an impressive talent who didn’t share Soderbergh’s more outre creative choices. Similarly,Deadlinerecently reported that theupcoming franchise rebootOcean’s 14is considering director David Leitch, who leftJurassic World: Rebirthearly in its production process.
Leitch is a reliably popular action director whose work melds bone-crunching fights and awe-inspiring stunts with charming character comedy.
Leitch is best known as an action director, having helmed 2017’s Charlize Theron vehicleAtomic Blonde, 2018’sDeadpool 2, 2019’sHobbs & Shaw, and 2022’sBullet Train. Although his latest release, 2024’sThe Fall Guy, was an unexpected flop, Leitch remains a reliably popular action director whose work melds bone-crunching fights and awe-inspiring stunts with charming character comedy. That said, Leitch is an interesting choice forOcean’s 14precisely because of how much his style differs from Soderbergh’s approach. Even Soderbergh’s mainstream movies are filled with split screens, anachronic storytelling, meta moments, and other formal experimentation.
David Leitch Directing Ocean’s 14 Means It Might Have Way More Action Than The First 3
Leitch’s Screen CV Includes Action-Forward Efforts Like Bullet Train and Deadpool 2
In contrast, Leitch’s work has the smooth sheen of a director who began his career as a stunt double, progressed to stunt coordination, and eventually ended up working on the uber-slickJohn Wickmovies.Leitch’sOcean’s 14is likely to have more explosive action than Soderbergh’s surprisingly talky blockbusters, and the director will likely bring his slick, ultra-polished visual aesthetic to the franchise. This will inevitably change its tone.
WhiletheOcean’s 11prequelstarring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie was always likely to change the tone of the series, it will still be striking to see Leitch put his mark on the franchise. Ocean’s 14 is likely to utilize the same starry cast as the original trilogy outside the late Bernie Mac and Carl Reiner, so it could be jarring to see the same characters played by the same actors but moved by the vision of a very different director. However, Leitch’s work to date suggestsOcean’s 14and its revival of theOcean’sfranchise are in capable hands.
