Filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung has stepped away from directing the planned prequel to the Ocean’s Eleven franchise at Warner Bros. The studio confirmed that the departure was amicable and stemmed from “creative differences".

Chung had been developing the project with the studio and with actor-producer Margot Robbie, who is attached to both star in and produce the film through her LuckyChap production company. Bradley Cooper is also expected to appear in the film.

In a joint statement, Warner Bros. and LuckyChap Entertainment expressed appreciation for the collaboration. “Lee Isaac is a singular filmmaking talent whose vision and partnership have been invaluable to Warner Bros. and LuckyChap throughout this journey. Our experience with him has only deepened our enthusiasm to collaborate on future projects together,” the statement read.

The project has been in development for some time. When the prequel was first reported in 2022, Jay Roach was attached to direct before later exiting. The screenplay has been written by Carrie Solomon, though plot specifics have not yet been disclosed.

The Ocean’s franchise began with Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 heist film Ocean’s Eleven, itself a remake of the 1960 movie Ocean’s 11 featuring Frank Sinatra and other members of the Rat Pack. Soderbergh’s trilogy, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, concluded with Ocean’s Thirteen in 2007.

The universe expanded again in 2018 with Ocean’s Eight, a spin-off directed by Gary Ross and led by Sandra Bullock alongside Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway.

Chung, meanwhile, remains best known for directing the critically acclaimed drama Minari (2020), which earned him Academy Award nominations for both direction and screenplay. He most recently helmed the 2024 blockbuster Twisters. Robbie, who continues to collaborate with Warner Bros., currently stars opposite Jacob Elordi in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights.