Bradley Cooper and Margot Robbie Are Already Filming the ‘Ocean’s 11’ Prequel, and New Set Photos Prove It

Heist franchises rarely get the chance to revisit their own origin story, especially one as iconic as the one built around Danny Ocean’s smooth-talking criminal empire. Fans have spent years wondering exactly where a character as polished as Ocean actually learned his trade.

That question is finally getting an answer, and production has moved well past the planning stages. New set photos have surfaced showing Bradley Cooper, Margot Robbie, and Monica Barbaro filming together on location in Paris, confirming that the long-discussed ‘Ocean’s 11’ prequel is now actively shooting.

The film, still untitled, is set in 1962 Europe and follows the origin story of Danny Ocean’s parents, the two masterminds who taught him everything he’d eventually use to pull off his own legendary Vegas heist. Robbie confirmed the premise during Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon presentation earlier this year, explaining that the movie will show the pair “in their prime” as they attempt an ambitious heist at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix.

Cooper isn’t just starring in the project; he’s also writing and directing it, taking over the film after a series of earlier creative shuffles. The project originally had Jay Roach attached to direct before Lee Isaac Chung briefly took over, ultimately departing over creative differences that eventually led to Cooper stepping in.

Carrie Solomon, who also wrote Netflix’s ‘A Family Affair,’ penned the screenplay Cooper is now bringing to life. Robbie is producing through her LuckyChap Entertainment banner, giving the actress significant creative influence over a project she’s been attached to for years.

The newly surfaced Paris set photos show Cooper working behind the camera in a headset alongside Monica Barbaro, who appeared on set in a striking blue-and-white costume before later being spotted filming alongside Robbie in a pink suit. Their presence adds to a growing ensemble that already includes Wagner Moura, reportedly playing the film’s villain, alongside Josh Gad, George MacKay, Omar Sy, Vicky Krieps, Jack Holden, and Lauren Ridloff.

That roster gives the prequel a genuinely international, star-studded feel befitting the glamour typically associated with the Ocean’s franchise. With production having kicked off in Paris this summer, filming is expected to continue moving through Nice before eventually reaching Monaco itself to capture the film’s climactic Grand Prix heist sequence.

This prequel isn’t the only new chapter currently being planned within the franchise. Separately, George Clooney has confirmed that a direct sequel, tentatively referred to as ‘Ocean’s Fourteen,’ is also moving forward, reuniting original stars Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle. That project is reportedly hoping to begin filming around October, running on a parallel timeline to Cooper’s prequel.

Having two separate projects in active development at the same time speaks to just how much life Warner Bros. believes remains in the franchise more than two decades after Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 remake reignited interest in the original 1960 Rat Pack classic. Sequels in 2004 and 2007 kept the Danny Ocean story going, while 2018’s all-female spinoff ‘Ocean’s 8’ proved the franchise’s appeal could extend well beyond its original ensemble.

With filming actively underway, Warner Bros. has set the prequel for a June 25, 2027 release date. Given the level of star power already assembled and Cooper’s dual role as both director and lead, expectations are already building for what promises to be one of the studio’s more ambitious releases that year.

For a franchise built on charm, glamour, and precision heists, watching Danny Ocean’s own parents pull off their signature con feels like exactly the kind of origin story fans have long wanted to see.

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