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As the prophets of De La Soul once proclaimed, "Three, that's the magic number!" Yes folks, that's right — for the second week on the bounce we have a terrific trio of guests joining us on the Empire Podcast. First up, our features editor Alex Godfrey speaks no evil — and speaks Speak No Evil — with the psychological thriller remake's star (and podcast regular) James McAvoy [19:49 — 34:40 approx]. Then, Amon Warmann sits down for a chat with Kate Winslet, star of wartime biopic Lee [56:50 - 1:12:15 approx]. And last but most certainly not least, we have for your listening delectation the interview that the entire podteam did with Reawakening star and all-round acting legend Juliet Stevenson during last week's live show at the London Podcast Festival [1:41:33 — 1:57:42 approx].

Either side of those, Chris is back in the pod booth after a rare holiday and hosts Helen, James and Alex Godfrey as they discuss films from 1996 that deserve sequels — and...

Edward Berger describes reports that he’s on the James Bond director shortlist as “absolute rumour”. More here.

You’re set to see a fair few interviews with director Edward Berger over the coming months, as his new film Conclave seems certain to be a leading contender in the upcoming movie awards season. His last film – All Quiet On The Western Front – was something of a gong attractor too, so he very much knows the drill.

What’s changed since he was last in the awards spotlight though is that Berger has been heavily linked with directing the next James Bond film. This isn’t something that he’s brought up himself, rather that the rumour mill has him on a list of directors for the next 007 adventure.

With Conclave popping up at a festival over the weekend, so Edward Berger gave a long interview to Deadline about the movie,...

Exclusive: Though Conclave is fiction based on the Robert Harris novel, you cannot watch Edward Berger’s taut thriller about the election of a new pope without noticing the parallels to the polarizing politics of the race for the White House. The surprise twists and turns abound as it becomes clear the Vatican will either retreat into past conservative, exclusionary policies, or embrace Catholics who’ve been excluded by the institution. The German-born filmmaker is introducing his follow-up to the harrowing WWI drama All Quiet on the Western Front, which won four Oscars including Best International Film. This one-two punch also announces a major filmmaking talent, though he’s no overnight success. Whether he moves on to a major studio franchise like Ocean’s 14 or 007, it is clear from the confident hand in his visual storytelling that Berger is a filmmaker who can make the kind of impact in...

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise have been at the very top of Hollywood for decades, and this amount of success is bound to come with competition. The actors have been competing for the title of the pinnacle of the film industry for longer than they have been successful, with their feud starting before their fame in 1994’s Interview with the Vampire.

Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview With the Vampire | Credit: Warner Bros

Even though they are technically at the same level when it comes to success, there is one star who is bagging better checks and has a wider approach than the other. While many of Pitt’s fans have tried to understand what makes Tom Cruise more successful than him, Ed Zwick’s thoughts on the actor may help clear out their confusion.

During an interview, Zwick talked very highly of Cruise, and it is safe to...

Is Brad Pitt’s charm absolutely timeless, or what? But let’s face it, even Hollywood heartthrobs have aspirations beyond the big screen. The actor made a playful remark about Ocean’s 14 that isn’t exactly fresh off the press but still packs a punch. Recalling his famously candid acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, he laid out his life goals: “to be happy” and “stay healthy”

Brad Pitt and Carl Reiner in Ocean’s Eleven | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Then came the kicker: he lightheartedly remarked he’d prefer to avoid a financial jam that would force him into making Ocean’s 14. Pitt’s comment wasn’t just a throwaway line; it underscored his preference for pursuing projects he’s passionate about rather than chasing a paycheck.

Brad Pitt’s Not Ready to Cash in on Another Ocean’s Heist?

Since Ocean’s Thirteen...

There's more guests than hosts on the Empire Podcast this week folks as, due to a combination of work absences, holidays, and *checks notes* a dog eating Chris Hewitt's podcasting microphone, only Helen O'Hara and James Dyer are on pod-duty this week. But fear not! Though their numbers be depleted, our two colleagues of such lethal cunning still bring the film-related fun. In the pod booth, Helen and James take on a brace of listener questions, contemplating which doomed crews in film they'd want to be stuck with before pontificating on whether video game movies are the adaptations are the next comic book movies. Then, in this week's movie news section, the pod team tackle a slew of new trailers — Minecraft, Nightbitch, Smile 2, and more — and discuss Ian McKellen's potential return to Middle-earth.

On the reviews front then this week, we're tackling Tudor thriller Firebrand, Tim Burton sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,...

George Clooney and Brad Pitt have collaboratively left an indelible legacy with their work in the Ocean’s franchise. Having debuted as Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan respectively in 2001 with Ocean’s Eleven, their incredible teamwork significantly led the franchise to become a pop-culture phenomenon, spawning sequels like Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.

Matt Damon, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt in Ocean’s Eleven | Warner Bros Pictures

As the fans saw the duo reuniting for Wolfs, things look pretty positive for Ocean’s 14. A report suggests that the movie is in development, but this news has also broken the hearts of many fans due to the absence of two of the core members of the franchise.

Ocean’s 14 is Reportedly in Development, With George Clooney & Brad Pitt Set to Return

The Ocean’s franchise has become one of the most entertaining projects of the 21st century, bringing loads of interesting characters, humor,...

Following their recent collaboration in Wolfs, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are circling Ocean’s 14 – with Edward Berger as director.

While George Clooney and Brad Pitt have recently been bestowing their movie star grins on all and sundry at the Venice Film Festival as they attended the premiere of their new film, Wolfs, we imagine that in private they’re slightly less happy. As we’ve seen streaming platforms do in the past, Apple recently decided to yank the duo’s new film from its planned theatrical release and instead refashion it as a largely streaming-only event.

Stars of their profile tend like to see their films in cinemas – especially people like Clooney and Pitt, whose stardom was built in that 90s mould of being visible through high-profile releases rather than amassing huge social media profiles. Although they’ve reportedly been paid well for their services, Wolfs has no doubt...

At this point, it should be no surprise that George Clooney is intent on making an “Ocean’s 14” sequel. Earlier this year, it was reported that Clooney has a script that he likes and hopes to make, and we reported exclusively that the script was written by Clooney and his Smoke House Pictures producing partner Grant Heslov.

Read More: George Clooney Wrote His ‘Oceans 14’ Script, But Who Will Direct?

Continue reading ‘Ocean’s 14’: George Clooney & Brad Pitt Are Trying To Bag Director Edward Berger For Heist Four-Quel at The Playlist.

If you've got any salt handy, it may be worth taking a pinch of it before plunging into this morsel of movie news with us, folks. According to Deadline, one last job for Danny Ocean and his motley crew of high-stake heisters may well be on the cards after all — and if stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt have their way, they've found a hell of a filmmaker to make the film happen. Per the trade's reporting, none other than BAFTA winning All Quiet On The Western Front director Edward Berger is being courted to helm Ocean's 14, which would be the fourth film in the mainline Ocean's franchise and the first made without Steven Soderbergh calling the shots.

Last Christmastime, during an interview with Uproxx to promote his sports drama The Boys In The Boat, Clooney revealed that a new Oceans movie has already been written. "We have...

The Ocean’s franchise is a hell of a lot of fun, but it’s been 17 years since George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and the rest of the fantastic ensemble cast tackled their last caper. Time to bring it back, baby. In that regard, Deadline has heard that Warner Bros. is still moving forward with Ocean’s 14, with both Clooney and Pitt set to return as Danny Ocean and Robert “Rusty” Ryan. They’re also now courting All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger to helm the project.

As Deadline’s report states, it’s still in the early stages, but Berger’s star is certainly on the rise. All Quiet on the Western Front received numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

George Clooney actually teased another Ocean’s project last year, saying, “We have a really good script for another Ocean’s now,...

Nach den sensationellen Rückmeldungen zu „Konklave“ in Telluride und Toronto ist der deutsche Oscargewinner Edward Berger einer der heißesten Namen in Hollywood. US-Trades melden, dass er der heißeste Kandidat für einen neuen „Ocean’s“-Film mit George Clooney und Brad Pitt sein soll.

Edward Berger (Credit: Imago / Funke Foto Services)

Gerade erst wurde das Gerücht noch einmal bestätigt, dass Edward Berger, der deutsche Filmemacher, der für „Im Westen nichts Neues“ einen Oscar gewinnen konnte (der Filmbrachte es insgesamt auf vier Academy Awards), unverändert der Favorit für den kommenden Bond-Film sein soll. Jetzt bekommt dieses Projekt Konkurrenz von einem Hollywood-Franchise, das wieder eingestielt werden soll: George Clooney und Brad Pitt, die gerade in Venedig Weltpremiere für „Wolfs“ feiern konnten, sollen Interesse bekunden, einen weiteren „Ocean’s“-Film zu machen. Und Edward Berger soll laut Deadline der heißeste Kandidat für „Ocean’s 14“ sein.

Deadline räumt aber auch ein, dass es eines von...

It looks like Brad Pitt and George Clooney have plans to continue their Ocean’s Eleven franchise with a new movie.

It’s been more than a decade since the close friends joined forces for Ocean’s Thirteen in 2007. However, a new report suggested that the A-list stars were working on getting a new movie off the ground.

Keep reading to find out more…

Deadline reported that the pair are currently trying to get Edward Berger to sign on as the director of Ocean’s 14. While nothing is official yet, the outlet speculated that a new movie would also bring back other franchise stars, including Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.

In December 2023, George clarified that they were developing a script for an Ocean’s 14. However, the actor said that it might not look like an exact continuation of the prior movies and compared the script to the 1979 movie Going In Style.

There...

George Clooney and Brad Pitt are reportedly set to return for Ocean’s 14.

Deadline reports that Warner Bros. is courting Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) to helm the blockbuster sequel.

Clooney and Pitt starred together in the trilogy of Ocean’s 11 movies helmed by Steven Soderbergh in the 2000s. While Deadline stresses that development on a sequel is still in the early stages, many of the trilogy’s other cast members are also expected to return, including Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.

The most recent Ocean’s film, the female-led spin-off Ocean’s 8, was released in 2018. The next project is the franchise was set to be an Ocean’s 11 prequel film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, but production stalled out as of last year.

Clooney and Pratt star together in the new Jon Watts heist movie Wolfs, which will be released on Apple TV+ beginning September 27th.

Exclusive: This is a bit early, but The Dish hears momentum is building on the Smokehouse-produced next installment of the Warner Bros caper film franchise that started with Ocean’s Eleven. Sources said that George Clooney and Brad Pitt are coming back, and they are courting Edward Berger to take over directing duties.

Berger is emerging as an elite filmmaker. He followed All Quiet on the Western Front — which it won four Oscars including Best International Feature — with Conclave, the Focus Features drama about the intrigue behind the election of a new pope that has drawn raves after its Telluride debut, establishing the film as a Best Picture Oscar candidate with Berger and Ralph Fiennes also at the center of the awards race. The film gets its next shot with a Toronto Film Festival premiere. Fiennes stars alongside Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and a strong supporting cast.

Warner...

Brad Pitt and George Clooney are back together on film — outside of the “Ocean’s” cinematic universe.

The duo co-star in action-comedy movie “Wolfs,” which is written and directed by Jon Watts. In “Wolfs,” Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected. Just another night in the fixer industry, we imagine.

Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, and Poorna Jagannathan co-star in “Wolfs.”

Both Clooney and Pitt produce the film, as do Watts, Grant Heslov, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Dianne McGunigle. Michael Beugg executive produces.

Watts is also making a Steven Spielberg-inspired “Star Wars” series for Disney+ that will star Jude Law. Watts was actually supposed to direct the “Fantastic Four” reboot,...

A semi-exclusive before we fully enter the winter break. As you’ve likely heard by now, George Clooney says he has a script for “Ocean’s 14” that he is excited about. That’s got the internet all excited about the prospect of the ‘Ocean franchise’ movie going forward. Great.

Continue reading George Clooney Wrote His ‘Oceans 14’ Script, But Who Will Direct? [The Backstory] at The Playlist.

George Clooney won’t be back as Batman probably, well, ever.

The “Batman & Robin” star briefly appeared as an alternate timeline Bruce Wayne in multiverse movie “The Flash,” but Clooney told Entertainment Tonight that he has hung up his cowl as the Caped Crusader.

“Well I thought there was such a clamor for me to come back, as you know,” the “Boys in the Boat” director said. “There was a bit where I said I’m actually wearing my rubber nipples and they were like, ‘Can we do it without the rubber nipples?’ I was like, ‘Well it’s not really my Batman then, is it?'”

Clooney added, “I don’t think there’s enough drugs in the world for me to go back.”

Along with Clooney, Ben Affleck played Batman in “The Flash.” Two Supermen also existed in the movie, with Nicolas Cage finally portraying the Superman...

George Clooney is hinting at a possible Ocean’s Eleven reunion movie!

The 62-year-old actor starred as Danny Ocean in Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, alongside the likes of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts.

Another film, Ocean’s 8, released in 2018 which centered on an all female team, and there’s a new prequel movie in the works!

During a recent interview, George talked about potentially playing Danny Ocean again in another film.

Check out what he said inside…

“We have a really good script for another Oceans now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script,” he told Uproxx.

George did clarify that it may look a little different than the first trilogy, and less like an Ocean’s 14.

“Well … I don’t want to call it that… I mean, the idea is kind of like Going In Style,” he said,...

George Clooney‘s hints about a possible “Ocean’s 14” movie wasn’t the only heist film to make the news yesterday. Deadline reports that Netflix won out over seven other studio bidders for a Ryan Reynolds global heist comedy. The pitch doesn’t have a name yet, but “The Lost City” scribe Dana Fox will pen the script, with Simon Kinberg producing.

Continue reading Ryan Reynolds & Simon Kinberg Are Putting Together An ‘Ocean’s’ Style Heist Film For Netflix, Shawn Levy To Direct at The Playlist.

Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's" trilogy is some of the most fun you can have with a movie. They are hyper-enjoyable heist romps about a group of guys being dudes. As our own Chris Evangelista put it, "Ocean's 11" is "a hang-out movie, where all the people hanging out are also plotting a massive heist." Even the sequels have some excellent gags, like Julia Roberts' character impersonating the real Julia Roberts in "Ocean's 12," or "Ocean's 13" having the whole "the nose plays" bit and the hilarious and poignant subplot about factory workers in Mexico going on strike — a bit that just get more timely with age.

It's been over 15 years since the last with Clooney and Soderbergh, and we haven't heard about a reunion — until now. Speaking with Uproxx, George Clooney has an exciting update about a potential follow-up to "Ocean's 13."

"We have a really good script for another 'Oceans' now,...

George Clooney will be back with another “Ocean’s” heist film, the actor confirmed.

Clooney told Uproxx while promoting “The Boys in the Boat,” which he directed, that there is a script in the works for a fourth “Ocean’s” film set after the events of 2007 movie “Ocean’s 13.” The film concluded Steven Soderbergh’s crime comedy trilogy at the time, and later led to 2018 spin-off “Ocean’s 8” starring Sandra Bullock as the sister of Clooney’s (presumed dead) character.

“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one,” Clooney said. “It’s actually a great script.”

Clooney added that the film won’t be called “Ocean’s 14,” saying, “Well … I don’t want to call it that … I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”

The reference is to 1979 heist comedy “Going In Style,” directed by Martin Brest.

Can you believe it’s been 16 years since “Ocean’s 13?” Hell, it’s already been five years since the not-so-great “Ocean’s 8” spinoff. Needless to say, it’s been a while since we’ve had a good dose of Danny Ocean goodness. But according to George Clooney, perhaps another heist is in the works.

In an interview with Uproxx, George Clooney was promoting his new film, “The Boys in the Boat,” and eventually, the topic of the ‘Ocean’s’ films was brought up.

Continue reading ‘Ocean’s 14’: George Clooney Says “A Great Script” Exists For Another Film In The Franchise & Is Inspired By ‘Going In Style’ at The Playlist.

George Clooney says the Ocean’s gang could get back together after reading a “great script” for another film in the starry heist series. Speaking with Uproxx about his upcoming movie The Boys in the Boat, Clooney revealed a new Ocean’s film could find the crew from the trilogy reuniting for events set after Ocean’s 13. Ocean’s 14, anyone?

“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script,” Clooney told Uproxx.

The outlet tried pressing Clooney for more information, though he was reluctant to share too much. When asked if the project intends to become Ocean’s 14, Clooney said, “Well… I don’t want to call it that… I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”

Going in Style refers to Zach Braff’s 2017 crime comedy about three lifelong...

George Clooney may be returning to the “Ocean’s” franchise. In a new interview with Uproxx while promoting his movie “The Boys in the Boat,” the actor revealed that a script for another “Ocean’s” movie exists that would seemingly reunite the original trilogy’s cast for a movie set after the events of 2007’s “Ocean’s 13.” Clooney did not provide any concrete details.

“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script,” Clooney told the publication.

When Uproxx asked if the script was for a potential “Ocean’s 14,” Clooney responded: “Well… I don’t want to call it that… I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”

Clooney is referring to Martin Brest’s 1979 heist comedy, which famously starred George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg and Charles Hallahan. Zach Braff...