Steven Soderbergh Turned Down ‘Ocean’s’ Franchise Return

Steven Soderbergh said he turned down the opportunity to return to the “Ocean’s” franchise, more than a decade and a half after directing”Ocean’s Thirteen.”

The director, who also helmed films “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Ocean’s Twelve” and produced spinoff “Ocean’s Eight,” told Variety that he is not planning to return to the heist series, regardless of the planned prequel and George Clooney’s sequel idea. The prequel film will star Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and will take place in 1960s Europe; Clooney’s follow-up is described as a “Going In Style”-esque conclusion set after the events of 2007’s “Ocean’s Thirteen.”

However, Soderbergh is sitting out involvement in both.

“After we made the third movie, I felt like the series was very much concluded for me,” Soderbergh said of the Warner Bros.-distributed films. “When the studio approached me to see if I’d be involved in continuing the franchise, I told them no, because it just doesn’t feel like a move forward for me.”

He added, “I’m chasing something else.”

Soderbergh concluded the “Magic Mike” trilogy with 2023 film “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” The writer/director helmed supernatural horror film “Presence,” which will debut at Sundance 2024. This year’s festival also marks the 35th anniversary of his debut “Sex, Lies and Videotape.”

“Ocean’s” actor Don Cheadle said in 2021 that Soderbergh was toying with…