Lee Isaac Chung Exits 'Ocean's' Prequel Over 'Creative Differences'

Mar 4, 2026 2:24pm PT ‘Twisters’ Director Lee Isaac Chung Exits ‘Ocean’s 11’ Prequel Over ‘Creative Differences’ By Rebecca Rubin Plus Icon Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter rebeccaarubin Latest Box Office: Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ Aims for $40 Million Debut, ‘The Bride’ Targets Lifeless $15 Million Start 3 hours ago Jane Fonda, Demi Moore, Serena Williams, Andy Cohen Set SXSW Keynote Conversations 3 hours ago Movie Theater Chain iPic Files for Bankruptcy 1 day ago See All ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Director Lee Isaac Chung is exiting the “Ocean’s 11” prequel over “creative differences.” Warner Bros. is backing the film, which is set to star Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper. Chung, best known for “Twisters” and “Minari,” is the second filmmaker to depart the project after Jay Roach, who was originally on board to helm the prequel. “This is an amicable split due to creative differences,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement. Although plot details haven’t been confirmed, the storyline is expected to take place before the events of Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 heist comedy “Ocean’s Eleven,” starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. That film, about con artists who rob hundreds of millions from a Las Vegas casino, became a critical and commercial smash and spawned two sequels. Of course, those movies were based on 1960’s “Ocean’s 11,” featuring five members of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack. Popular on Variety More to come… Jump to Comments Don Lemon Has Been Arrested, but His YouTube Channel Keeps Streaming BBC in Talks to Produce Content for YouTube in Landmark Deal YouTube Now Has the Biggest ‘Sesame Street’ Free Library, With More Than 100 Full Episodes Available to Stream YouTube TV Reveals Pricing, Channels for Lower-Cost Packages Launching This Week YouTube Goes Down: Platform Experiences Technical Issue With Recommendation System YouTube Revenue for Full-Year 2025 Topped $60 Billion, Making Video Platform Bigger Than Netflix JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...