Although the news thatOcean’s 14is in development is exciting, theOcean’sfranchise reunion will be a bittersweet one due to two losses.TheOcean’s 11franchisedates all the way back to 1960, when the Rat Pack’s Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. united for the original crime comedy caper Ocean’s 11. Director Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 hitOcean’s 11brought together a star-studded cast to offer a flip, postmodern take on the same story.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt led the lineup, but there was a lot of star power to back them up. The cast ofOcean’s 11also included Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, Carl Reiner, Qin Shaobo, Don Cheadle, Eddie Jemison, Andy Garcia, and Scott Caan. Therest of theOcean’sfranchisekept the celebrity cameos coming, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bruce Willis appearing inOcean’s 12, while Al Pacino and Vincent Cassel cropped up in 2007’sOcean’s 13.
Ocean’s 14 Will Be A Bittersweet Reunion Without Bernie Mac & Carl Reiner
Ocean’s 14 Won’t Be The Same Without Frank and Saul
While the celebrity cameos were fun, the titular eleven con men were the true heart of the original trilogy. As such, the news thatBullet Traindirector David Leitch is attached to theproposed franchise reboot Ocean’s 14is a mixed blessing.Ocean’s 11stars Carl Reiner and Bernie Mac have passed away since the 2007 release ofOcean’s 13, and the reboot won’t feel the same without them around. Saul’s sardonic interjections and Frank’s high-energy comic explosions both brought unique charm to the original trilogy.
Reiner was a Hollywood comedy veteran who collaborated with Mel Brooks for years before directing a string of successful Steve Martin vehicles.
Outside theOcean’sfranchise, Mac was well known for his roles inFriday,The Player’s Club,Life,Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, andBad Santa, as well as his comedy seriesThe Bernie Mac Show. Reiner was a Hollywood comedy veteran who collaborated with Mel Brooks for years before directing a string of successful Steve Martin vehicles, includingThe Jerk,Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, andThe Man with Two Brains. While theproposedOcean’s 11prequelstarring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie could have recast Reiner and Mac with younger actors, a straight sequel can’t take this approach.
How Ocean’s 14 Can Honor Bernie Mac’s Frank & Carl Reiner’s Saul
Frank and Saul Deserve A Tribute In The Forthcoming Reboot
Fortunately,Ocean’s 14can include a tribute to Saul and Frank while introducing the new members of the movie’s line-up. The two characters could have younger proteges who replace them, and the reboot could confirm that the characters died with their actors. Alternatively,Ocean’s 14could repeat the surprising approach taken by 2018’sOcean’s 8.
At the end of that reboot, the heroine visits her brother’s grave and confirms that Clooney’s Danny Ocean died off-screen at some point. However, due to the twisty nature of the series and the con artistry of its heroes, viewers can be sure this was all part of a long con. Similarly, the most fitting way forOcean’s 14to pay homage to Saul and Frank’s late actors Carl Reiner and Bernie Mac might be for the reboot to never explicitly confirm whether theOcean’sfranchise’s supporting characters were really dead or not.
