The Big Movie Blockbusters of Summer 2018

Mission: Impossible, Avengers, Dwayne Johnson, Jurassic World, Ant-Man and more are lining up to meet you next summer.

Feature Simon Brew
May 9, 2017

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

With summer blockbuster season 2017 in full swing, and with The Fate of the Furious speeding over the $1 billion mark already, a bunch of filmmakers are furiously putting together their films for release this time next year (or thereabouts). Here, as things stand, is the state of summer blockbuster season 2018. Keep in mind dates are likely quick to change.

Also, we’ve not included unnamed films: Universal, for instance, has reserved a slot for one of its classic monster universe movies, but not told anybody what it is yet. As more information pops up, we’ll keep this list up to date.

March

Tomb Raider (March 16)

Summer blockbuster season circa 2018 effectively kicks off in March with the Warner Bros. backed big screen reboot of the Tomb Raider movie franchise out first. Alicia Vikander is taking on the role of Lara Croft in this one, with director Roar Uthaug plucked from his successful disaster movie, The Wave, to make his English language directorial debut here.

Walton Goggins, Dominic West, and Hannah John-Kamen are also in the cast for this adaptation, which will be drawing more from the recent video game installments. WB will want sequels, of course.

Robin Hood (March 23)

There always seems to be a bunch of Robin Hood projects on the go, and Lionsgate is going down the dark and gritty route with Robin Hood: Origins. On paper, this is ground that the Russell Crowe-headlined and Ridley Scott-directed Robin Hood movie tried to cover back in 2010. That was due to inspire sequels, but few fancied watching Scott and Crowe do another one.

Lionsgate is hoping that putting Taron Egerton at the heart of its film will be a smarter move, and he’s surrounded by a strong cast, including Jamie Foxx, Jamie Dornan, Eve Hewson, Ben Mendelsohn, and Tim Minchin. Note that the film is no longer called Robin Hood: Origins. It’s plain old Robin Hood now, and Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) is directing.
Ready Player One (March 30)

Whilst Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s nerd-gold tome Ready Player One has been in post-production, the bearded one will have found time to launch, direct and release The Post, starring Tom Hanks. Which gives a flavor as to the extensive post-production work Ready Player One will require, to bring a mix of dystopia and '80s movie and video game references to the big screen. Then again, it could also be in part influenced by the film originally due out in time for Christmas 2017, yet moving when Star Wars: The Last Jedi got delayed itself to the upcoming holiday season.

Spielberg’s cast here includes Tye Sheridan, Mark Rylance, Ben Mendelsohn (he’ll be doing a fair amount of press next March…), T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg, Olivia Cooke, and Hannah John-Kamen. We are hugely looking forward to this one too. Zak Penn (Game Over) has penned the script, by the way…

April

Magic Camp (April 6)

Disney’s first entry into summer blockbuster season 2018 isn’t actually one of its big franchise movies. Rather, it’s got potential franchise-launcher Magic Camp from Mean Girls director Mark Waters.

The film features Gillian Jacobs, Jeffrey Tambor, and Adam Devine, and it follows a summer camp for wannabe young magicians. It sounds Harry Potter-y on paper, but actually, the film will focus on an end-of-summer magic competition. It’s just the kind of film that you may not have heard of now, but may just be unable to escape next spring. We’re certainly not going to knock Disney remembering to take a few punts outside of its usual collection of franchises either.

The studio also has A Wrinkle in Time set for early March too. We're looking forward to that.

X-Men: The New Mutants (April 13)

Here we go. The first full-on comic book movie of the summer, and the first of three X-Men films that 20th Century Fox has earmarked for a 2018 release. The Fault in Our Stars director Josh Boone is steering this one, and the implication is that it will have a much more grounded and dramatic (read: Young Adult) foundation than recent X-Men movies.

The New Mutants will focus on the first bunch of graduates from Professor Charles Xavier’s school for gifted children, and strong rumor suggests that James McAvoy will be back as Professor X for a start. The rest of the cast remains unconfirmed, but some of the younger members of the X-Men: Apocalypse cast are possible candidates for an appearance. Rumors also seem to heavily imply that Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams and The Witch's Anya Taylor-Joy have been cast in lead roles.

The Pact (April 20)

Summer season comes with R-rated comedies as part of the deal, and The Pact comes from Kay Cannon, who wrote the Pitch Perfect trilogy of movies (Pitch Perfect 3 is out at the end of the year). Cannon also makes her directorial debut here with the story following three dads who try to stop their daughters from having sex on prom night. Leslie Mann and John Cena lead the cast.

Rampage (April 20)

Dwayne Johnson traditionally has two or three movies out each summer, and 2018 ain’t bucking that trend. Firstly then is Rampage, which is based on the monsters-destroying-buildings video game of the 1980s. Given how thin the plot of the Rampage games was, it’s basically an excuse for Johnson and his San Andreas director Brad Peyton to wreak further havoc, and pretty much put together whatever plot they like to set it against (Ryan Engle and Carlton Cuse have worked on the script). The supporting cast includes Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Malin Akerman.

May

Avengers: Infinity War (May 4)

Don’t expect too many films to schedule themselves around this one. The apex of Marvel’s phase three of movies, Avengers: Infinity War – to be directly followed by a thus far unnamed Avengers movie in summer 2019 – is set to tie up the Thanos saga that’s been bubbling since way back in phase one.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo jump from the Captain America films to this and the next Avengers movie. And well, you know, pretty much all of the Marvel gang are in it. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Thor, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Nick Fury, Scarlet Watch, Vision – you name ‘em, they’re likely to be there.

In a summer not shy of huge movies, this is one of the ones expected to comfortably cruise past $1 billion of box office takings. If they get the film right, maybe even $2 billion is on the table.

It lands in the UK a week earlier than in the U.S.

Life of the Party (May 11)

A third project for director Ben Falcone and star Melissa McCarthy, who co-write the script too on this one. And happy to be married in real life, they’ve thus far put together Tammy and The Boss, two modestly profitable movies. Details for Life of the Party are under wraps, save for Gillian Jacobs and Maya Rudolph co-star. Oh, and Christina Aguilera is in there somewhere too…
Star Wars: Han Solo (May 25)

Ah, let’s just deliver the money straight to Disney, shall we? Another comfortable $1 billion in the bank here, as directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller dig into the early life of Han Solo and Chewie, with Alden Ehrenreich stepping into Harrison Ford’s clobber. Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian are in the supporting cast, and Jon and Lawrence Kasdan have penned the script. We suspect this won’t be the last we see of Ehrenreich as Solo, either…

June

Deadpool 2 (June 1)

Who’s brave enough to come out the week after a Star Wars movie? Ah, good on you, Ryan.

The return of Deadpool is comfortably one of the most anticipated of 2018’s blockbuster releases, with Ryan Reynolds leading a cast that includes Morena Baccarin, Josh Brolin, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, and swearing. Lots of swearing. David Leith, co-director of John Wick, is helming this time with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick again on screenplay duties, plus a bit of help from Drew Goddard. Expect cash, and no shortage of it.

And swearing.

Ocean’s Eight (June

Perhaps not the most expected franchise revival, but the bringing back of the Ocean’s capers may just prove a smart move from Warner Bros. Ocean’s Eight immediately feels distinct from much of the rest of the fodder we’re getting next summer.

It’s a new crew this time, led by Sandra Bullock. She’s joined by Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Dakota Fanning, Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Helena Bonham-Carter,Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, and Richard Armitage.

Gary Ross, who helmed the first Hunger Games film, is directing this one, having co-written the screenplay with Olivia Milch.

Bumblebee (June

The Transformers cinematic universe continues without Michael Bay directing for the first time. Instead, for the Bumblebee spin-off movie (a prequel story, we’re told), Laika studios boss and Kubo & The Two Strings helmer Travis Knight is helming.

Christina Hodson is writing the script, although casting hasn’t yet been confirmed. Paramount will be hoping that this vindicates its gamble on annual Transformers films, and Knight certainly seems a bold, good choice to direct. Tough competition in June, though.

The Incredibles 2 (June 15)

If this writer had to pick just one of next summer’s films to transport in front of eyeballs right now, this is the one I’d use my time travel powers on. Brad Bird returns to animation – following Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland – with the eagerly, eagerly, eagerly, eagerly, eagerly awaited sequel to The Incredibles. Few plot details have been released as of yet, just an out of office message written for next June….

Jurassic World 2 (June 22)

Universal waited over a decade following Jurassic Park III to bring the fourth Jurassic Park film to the big screen. With director Colin Trevorrow at the helm, their patience was rewarded. Over $1.5 billion was banked, and a further instalment was set up. However, as Trevorrow is off making Star Wars: Episode IX, he’s handed directing duties to J.A. Bayona (who made the glorious A Monster Calls most recently), although Trevorrow and Derek Connolly penned a screenplay for the Jurassic World sequel.

Cast-wise, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard lead the returnees, and it’s already been confirmed we’re getting James Cromwell and bonus Jeff Goldblum for this go-round. Even considering the competition it’s up against, this may yet be the film to beat at the box office next summer – not least because not too much competition immediately follows it. After all, jumping into the jaws of T. Rex is most inadvisable.

Barbie (June 29)

Despite losing Amy Schumer from the lead role, Sony is still pressing ahead with its live action Barbie movie, that Diablo Cody, Kim Caramele, and Jenny Bicks have been working on the screenplay for. Given that the film doesn’t have a director in place as this article is being written, it may yet be a project Sony pushes back. The studio hasn’t announced Schumer’s replacement yet either. Watch this space…

July

The Purge 4 (July 4)

After the excellent The Purge: Anarchy, the third film in the series – The Purge: Election Year – felt a little bit like a let down. Amidst talk of The Purge going to television as a series, however, comes a fourth cinematic adventure. This is the first not to be directed by James DeMonaco, although he remains committed as the writer, as with the past three films. A new helmer has not yet been announced, but a Fourth of July release date has been earmarked.

Ant-Man And The Wasp (July 6)

Arriving a week after its UK release (unfortunately) Ant-Man and the Wasp sees Peyton Reed back as director with Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly headlining in the sequel to 2015’s Ant-Man. Michael Douglas and Michael Pena are also confirmed to be back, with the story for this one coming from Rudd and Adam McKay. Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari are penning the final screenplay.

No plot details have been confirmed as of yet. It’ll be the third Marvel release of the year (given that Black Panther is set for February, just ahead of blockbuster season).

The Spy Who Dumped Me (July 6)

It sounds like an Austin Powers movie. Instead, it’s a comedy starring Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon as two best friends who discover that one of their exes was a spy. Susanna Fogel (Life Partners) is set to direct. No further details are known at the moment, though.

Hotel Transylvania 3 (July 13)

In a summer light on obvious outright family movies – since Disney pushed back Gigantic and Wreck-It Ralph 2, and has only The Incredibles 2 is fighting for your animation cash – Hotel Transylvania 3 is likely to do enough to persuade Sony to greenlight a fourth film. Adam Sandler isn’t writing this one, but leads the voice cast again, along with Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg. Genndy Tartakovsky, who toyed with handing the third film over to someone else, is back to direct. The last film grossed $478 million worldwide. This one should break half a billion. It’s turning into one of the biggest, active animated movie franchises on the planet.

Skyscraper (July 13)

Where’s Dwayne Johnson gone? Ah, right here. What’s he doing this time? Defusing a hostage situation in a big tower block in China in the role of a former FBI hostage rescue team leader. Is his family trapped in the building too? Yep. That’ll do.

Rawson Marshall Thurber, of We’re The Millers, Dodgeball, and Central Intelligence vintage has written the script and will direct. We’re in. As long as Jason Statham doesn’t fight a shark later in the summer, this might just be the gleeful treat of the season.

Alita: Battle Angel (July 20)

A project that James Cameron was set to direct for a long time before his Avatar commitments took precedence. Instead, he’s overseeing the project while Robert Rodriguez – with his first feature since Sin City: A Dame To Kill For – has directed it. Michelle Rodriguez, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Christoph Waltz, Jackie Earle Haley, Casper Van Diem, Jeff Fahey, and Ed Skrein are in the cast. They're also working from a screenplay by Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis. It’s all based on the manga by Yukito Kishiro. You’d imagine if it did well that there are many sequels planned.

Mission: Impossible 6 (July 27)

Christopher McQuarrie becomes the first person to direct two Mission: Impossible films, following up the very successful Rogue Nation with the sixth screen adventure of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. No Jeremy Renner this time (his Avengers schedule is keeping him busy elsewhere), but we do get Rebecca Ferguson back, the first time a woman has reprised a role in the franchise, also a signifier of how well received she and Rogue Nation tended to be. Simon Pegg, Henry Cavill, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, and Sean Harris also are appearing. McQuarrie has again penned the screenplay. We’re promised a very big stunt again with this one, but hopefully too, the kind of exciting caper we get when these films are on form.

August

Holmes and Watson (August 3)

There’s a bit of cash in the whole Sherlock Holmes thing these days, and that’s just what Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly will be hoping for. They’re taking the lead roles in a comedy take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters, alongside Kelly Macdonald, Ralph Fiennes, Rebecca Hall, Hugh Laurie, and Rob Brydon. Etan Cohen, director of Get Hard, is helming this one too, having also written the script.

The Predator (August 3)

Knocked back six months from its expected February 2018 release, The Predator sees cult movie darling Shane Black directing from a script that he wrote with The Monster Squad’s Fred Dekker. It’s going to be an R-rated revival of The Predator films, the first of which Black himself enjoyed a small part in. Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Keegan-Michael Key, Trevante Rhodes, Alfie Allen, Yvonne Strahovski, and Edward James Olmos comprise much of the ensemble. The hunt also takes things into the heartland, intriguingly enough.

Scarface (August 10)

Here is yet another remake of Scarface, this time with Diego Luna taking on the role of Tony. Antoine Fuqua was supposed to go from The Magnificent Seven remake to this, but he dropped out instead to make The Equalizer 2. For Universal to hit its planned August 2018 release for the new Scarface, it does need to appoint a new director soon. It seems to have a script in place by Terence Winter, the creator of Boardwalk Empire. The Coen Brothers are even purported to have given the material a once-over at some point. The new Scarface will be Los Angeles-set, focusing on a Mexican immigrant. Donald will be thrilled.

Meg (August 10)

The Statham. A big shark. Like a really big freaking shark. Fighting each other. Thank you, movie gods. Thank you.

Rihanna busy with the shooting of ‘Ocean’s 8’ at closed Staten Island prison
The film features female celebrities as the leading characters and revolves around four friends

Julia Morgan
Curated by
Jane Flowers
Published on:
10 May 2017


“#ocean’s 8” is heading to #Staten Island, and #Rihanna is currently busy with the shooting. In addition [VIDEO]to Rihanna, the all-female sequel to “Ocean’s” features Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Anne Hathaway. Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian will reportedly make cameo appearances in “Ocean’s 8.” The famous production company, Broadway Stages, has worked with the state to purchase the former prison.

In 2011, it was shuttered by Andrew Cuomo as a part of his prison closing project.
‘Ocean's Eight’

“Ocean’s 8” is directed and co-produced by Gary Ross. Olivia Milch has written the story and dialogues. It is a sequel to the 2011 film of the same name and scheduled to be released on June 8, 2018.

Warner Bros. acquires the US distribution rights.

Ocean’s Eight, 2018 pic.twitter.com/jiJ1ZQ37j2
— ㅤ (@damnaesthetics) April 29, 2017

The story revolves around a young lady, Debbie, who tries to pull off the heist of the century at the Met Gala. For this, she teams up with Lou, Daphne, Rose, Nina, Amita, Constance, and Tammy, and moves on with her mission.

Damian Lewis, Richard Armitage, and James Corden play Debbie’s lover, Claude, and the insurance broker, respectively. Olivia Munn, Carl Reiner, Zac Posen, Serena Williams, and Hailey Baldwin will make cameo appearances in the movie.

More of Rihanna on the set of 'Ocean's Eight' today pic.twitter.com/q0FTbFCZ2m
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) May 5, 2017

Production began in 2006 when Steven Soderbergh started negotiations with Warner Bros. Filming is done under the working title “Ocean's Ocho.”

RT "Oceans Eight" is turning out to be the fashion movie we never knew we needed: https://t.co/lFX9CE8eae pic.twitter.com/h57zMDcWlj #fashion
— Graphr (@getgraphr) May 9, 2017

Rihanna

Born in 1988, Rihanna is one of the most famous singers. She is a renowned actress and songwriter of the era. In 2003, she rose to prominence as a recording artist and contracted with Def Jam Recordings. She has released various albums, including “Music of the Sun,” “A Girl like Me,” “Good Girl Gone Bad,” “Unapologetic,” and “Anti.” Her singles topped the Hot 100 and Billboard 200, including "Umbrella," “S&M,” "Take a Bow," “Only Girl,” "Disturbia," "We Found Love," “Stay,” and "Diamonds."

With sales exceeding 200 million records worldwide, Rihanna is one of the most famous and best-selling artists to date. She is the youngest singer to receive various awards and accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, ten Billboard Music Awards, and two Icon Awards.

After the smashing success of “Unapologetic,” Rihanna officially announced that she wanted to take a hiatus from the music industry, stating that she would focus on her acting career. In 2015, she appeared in the 3D animated movie, “Home,” which grossed over $25 million in its opening weekend. Earlier this month, it was announced that she would play a leading role in “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.”

Ocean’s 11 Actor Carl Reiner Has Cameo In Ocean’s 8

By Dan Zinski

Ocean’s Eleven trilogy veteran Carl Reiner is returning for the next installment in the Ocean’s franchise. Steven Soderbergh made the heist movie cool again with his Ocean’s films, beginning with Ocean’s Eleven in 2001 (a remake of the Rat Pack film from the ’60s) and continuing up to Ocean’s Thirteen in 2007. Soderbergh has since moved away from making heist films about handsome, elegantly-dressed men robbing casinos in Vegas and on to making heist films about quirky, badly-dressed men robbing race tracks in NASCAR country, but the Ocean’s series itself will live on in rebooted form with the all-women Ocean’s Eight set for release in 2018.

The cast for Ocean’s Eight will feature an all-star roster of actresses, including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Katie Holmes, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling and Sarah Paulson. Among the male cast members confirmed for the film is Matt Damon, a hold-over from the original Ocean’s trilogy, along with Richard Armitage, Damien Lewis and James Corden.

Matt Damon’s appearance in Ocean’s Eight is really a cameo (about which Damon has provided some details), and Damon won’t be alone in bridging the gap between the old Ocean’s movies and the new one by making a brief appearance. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ocean’s Eleven actor Carl Reiner let it drop that he too is along for the ride, and that being in the new Ocean’s gave him a chance to work with an actress he greatly admires:

Yeah, Ocean’s Eight, I think they’re calling it. And I got to work with my favorite actress, Sandra Bullock. I did one little scene with her, and it was such a pleasure. She’s a work of nature.

Reiner appeared in all three original Ocean’s films as the character Saul Bloom, an old journeyman thief who becomes a member of Danny Ocean’s team. In the first film, Bloom was brought out of retirement to pose as an arms dealer who needs access to the hotel’s vault, which allows the team to smuggle explosives inside. In the next two films, Bloom participates in the capers by playing a Swiss doctor and a hotel reviewer. His description of his appearance in Ocean’s Eight makes it seem like he doesn’t have time to be too involved in the plot, but at least he gets a scene with Bullock.

Plot details about Ocean’s Eight are being kept under wraps, but director Gary Ross has indicated that the film will be faithful in tone to Soderberg’s Ocean’s films. Set photos have teased the roles played by Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna and others, while an official full-cast photo shows all of the members of the new Ocean’s team together on a train. It’s also been confirmed that Damien Lewis is playing the Ocean’s Eight villain.

'Ocean's Eight' - Die Fortsetzung der Ganoven-Filme kommt!

Sündhaft teurer Schmuck, schöne Diebinnen und das alles noch auf der Met Gala in New York... Der neue 'Ocean Eight' klingt mehr als vielversprechend!
Linda Jäck

Kuratiert von
Sigrid Schulz
Veröffentlicht am:
2 November 2017


Die berühmte Triologie wird fortgesetzt!

Warner Brothers verkündete nun den Kinostart: So läuft die Komödie von Gary Ross ('Die Tribute von Panem'), ab dem 21. Juni 2018 in den deutschen Kinos (Kinostart in den USA ist der 8. Juni 2018).

Nach der 'Ocean's-Trilogy' - 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001), 'Ocean's Twelve' (2004) und 'Ocean's Thirteen' (2007)- kommt nun eine Fortsetzung der Gauner-Kultfilme in die Kinos: 'Oceans Eight'. Eigentlich war die Reihe nach den ersten drei Filmen für beendet erklärt worden, jedoch hauchen nun der neue Regisseur Garry Ross und Drehbuchautorin Olivia Milch dem Heist-Genre mit geballter Girl-Power neues Leben ein.

Schon die ersten drei Filme brachten eine hochkarätige Besetzung (unter anderem George Clooney, Matt Damon und Brad Pitt) mit sich. Auch der neue 'Oceans' überzeugt mit tollem Cast. Diesmal sind es keine Meisterdiebe, die die Hauptrollen übernehmen, sondern Meiterdiebinnen – der neue Cast ist rein weiblich.

Wer könnte besser geeignet sein als Sandra Bullock, welche Debbie Ocean, die Schwester von Danny Ocean, dem vorigen Hauptcharakter, spielt. Gerade aus dem Gefängnis entlassen, stellt Debbie in New York ein Team aus Ganovinnen zusammen, um eine wertvolle Halskette zu rauben und einen Rachefeldzug an ihrem Ex-Mann auszuüben.

Die Diebinnen werden von niemand anderem als Cate Blanchett ('Thor-Tag der Entscheidung'), Rihanna ('Valerian – Die Stadt der tausend Planeten'), Mindy Kaling ('Alles steht Kopf'), Awkwafina ('Dude') , Helena Bonham Carter ('Harry Potter'), Anne Hathaway ('Interstellar') und Sarah Paulson ('12 Years a Slave') gespielt. Dieser bunt zusammen gewürfelte Mix kann nur ein interessantes Filmerlebnis werden!

In der männlichen Besetzung sind unter anderem Damian Lewis ('Homeland'), und die beiden Moderatoren James Corden und Richard Armitage zu finden.

Auch wird es einige Cameo-Auftritte berühmter Persönlichkeiten geben, zum Beispiel Matt Damon, der zuvor eine der Hauptrollen innehatte.

Hier der Trailer des letzten 'Ocean', der einen kleinen Vorgeschmack auf die Fortsetzung liefern soll:

Könnte dies eine neue Trilogie bedeuten?

Sinn machen würde es jedenfalls, würden noch 'Ocean's Nine' und 'Ocean's Ten' folgen, dann wäre die Reihe komplett. Wenn der erste Film der neuen Girl-Gang die erhofften Erfolge erzielt, so wäre diese Vermutung zwei weitere Filme mit der neuen Besetzung zu drehen gar nicht so abwegig. #OceansEight #OceansFortsetzung #Kinofilme2018

Da hat einer aber ganz mieserabel recherchiert...

First Poster for ‘Ocean’s 8’ Assembles a New Team
by Adam Chitwood December 14, 2017

Warner Bros. has released the first Ocean’s 8 poster for the upcoming spinoff film, and although it’s only tangentially related to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s trilogy, it appears the suave and stylish spirit of the series is still intact. The Hunger Games and Pleasantville filmmaker Gary Ross directs the new film, which stars Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, the sister of George Clooney’s Danny Ocean. When this film begins she’s fresh out of prison and assembles a team of her own to pull off a unique heist at the Met Gala.

While one may think this is simply a studio mining a popular brand for new content, Ross is actually a good friend of Soderbergh’s (Soderbergh shot second-unit on The Hunger Games) and hatched the idea for Ocean’s 8 alongside the Ocean’s 11 director, with Soderbergh also serving as a producer on this film. The idea is to jump-start a new franchise with a fresh cast, this time made up of great actresses, and so far it sounds delightful.

The cast assembled here is terrific, and I can’t wait to get a look at it all in action when we see the first trailer. That will likely debut sooner rather than later, as studios like to tout their big summer movies during the holiday season when families head out to the multiplexes together.

For now, take a look at the first Ocean’s 8 poster below. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, and Richard Armitage. Ocean’s 8 opens in theaters on June 8, 2018.

How Ocean's 8 Got Its Name
By Conner Schwerdtfeger

We're due for our next adventure in silver screen larceny next summer when Ocean's 8 finally debuts, but the title of the caper naturally has me wondering why Debbie Ocean's team has three fewer members than Danny's team in the original flick did. As it turns out, the name of the upcoming, female-driven heist film actually comes from Ocean's Eleven director and Ocean's 8 producer Steven Soderbergh as a means to potentially pave the way for a trilogy. Ocean's 8 director Gary Ross explained:

Every member of the team has to serve a purpose. From the hacker and the fence to the jewelry designer, every element of the Ocean's 8 unit needs to feel designed to be part of the overall ensemble. For Steven Soderbergh, the pro to using a team of eight meant there would be enough vital characters, plus would offer the franchise a chance to do Ocean's 9 and Ocean's 10 with additional team members before (by his estimation) audiences eventually grow bored. It worked well for Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, so there's seemingly no point in deviating from that system now.

It is worth mentioning that Gary Ross' remark to EW about Steven Soderbergh's rationale for a Debbie Ocean trilogy doesn't necessarily mean that sequels are going to happen. Leaving room between Ocean's 8 and Ocean's Eleven (as they share continuity) affords the studio the chance to make two sequels if they want to, but as of right now we haven't heard anything about a long-term plan for this franchise offshoot.

Ocean's 8 is definitely a catchy title for a heist film, and it obviously paves the way for a clear trilogy until the storyline catches up with the male-centric continuity. However, this explanation of the title still doesn't clarify one pressing question about the Ocean's 8 story: who is the eighth member of the crew? The first official trailer for the film recently dropped, but it only shows seven women working on the film's central heist of the Met Gala in New York. This disparity has led some to theorize that Anne Hathaway's Daphne Kluger is actually Member 8 of the team (serving as an inside woman to help them pull off the job).

Beyond that, other theories have also suggested that Member 8 could be anyone ranging from Carl Reiner's Saul Bloom (who is confirmed for a cameo) to George Clooney's Danny Ocean (who might not be as dead as the film suggests). At this point, all we know for sure is that the team is supposed to have eight members to live up to its title.

Ocean's 8 will hit theaters next summer on June 8, 2018.

EXCLUSIVE: Cartier the Official Jewelry Partner of Summer Film ‘Ocean’s 8’
A key part collaboration is a one-of-a-kind necklace, which plays a significant part in the plot of the caper comedy.

By Thomas Waller on May 15, 2018

Cartier vault created for Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ “Ocean's 8,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.


Cartier is the exclusive jewelry partner of this summer’s highly anticipated heist comedy “Ocean’s 8,” WWD has learned.

The collaboration is the French jeweler’s latest tie-up with Hollywood, having recently named actor Jake Gyllenhaal as the face of the Santos de Cartier watch and Annabelle Wallis as the ambassador of the Panthère de Cartier watch and jewelry collections. Oscar-winning director Sofia Coppola has also been a “friend” of Cartier since 2015.

The Warner Bros.’ film, the newest entry of the Ocean’s franchise was produced by Steven Soderbergh, who directed the first three “Ocean” films, and features an all-star female lead cast with a bevy of Oscar-winning actresses including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway as well as Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulso, Rihanna and Awkwafina. In the film, Bullock plays Debbie Ocean, estranged sister to the trilogy’s Danny Ocean, who attempts to pull off a jewel heist at the Met Gala. Just last week, in a meta-moment, several of the cast attended the actual Met Gala for this year’s “Heavenly Bodies” exhibit, with Rihanna wearing jewelry by Cartier.

“As a maison, and throughout our history, we cherish our collaborations that bring visionaries together to celebrate individuality, diversity and empower bold and fearless women,” said Arnaud Carrez, Cartier’s international marketing and communications director.
(L-R) Anne Hathaway as Daphne Kluger and James Biberi as bodyguard Yuri in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ “Ocean's 8,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Anne Hathaway as Daphne Kluger and James Biberi as bodyguard Yuri in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ “Ocean’s 8,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Barry Wetcher © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The crown jewel of the collaboration is a one-of-a-kind necklace that plays a significant part in the plot of the caper comedy. According to Cartier, the necklace is a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint, the brand’s creative director in the Thirties who is said to have had a decisive hand in establishing what has become the house’s stylistic identity.

“Cartier is thrilled to continue its long-standing cinematic legacy. With this film, the New York Cartier Fifth Avenue mansion confirms its identity as a landmark of the city, and the Jeanne Toussaint necklace highlights Cartier’s craftsmanship in jewelry making on the silver screen,” Carrez noted.

The film’s necklace was made within the brand’s Paris high jewelry workshop at Rue de la Paix. It took around eight weeks to complete and is based on an original 1931 design by Jacques Cartier made for the Maharaja of Nawanagar. The original included the Queen of Holland, a blue-white diamond weighing 136.25 carats which at the time was known as “the finest cascade of colored diamonds in the world.” While the original jewel no longer exists, within its archives the company preserved a design drawing as well as photographs; the creation sketch was then used as a blueprint for the version seen in the film.

“Ocean’s 8” opens in theaters on June 8.

The Story Behind the Massive Cartier Necklace in Ocean's 8

The latest film in the heist franchise will feature a real pice of Cartier jewelry recreated for the screen.
By Liz Cantrell
May 15, 2018

The newest installment in the Ocean's movie franchise opens next month, and while we're enamored with the star-studded, all-female cast—Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter—we've also got our eye on the film's gorgeous jewels, designed exclusively by Cartier.

In the movie, Debbie Ocean (Danny Ocean's sister, played by Sandra Bullock) assembles a band of women to carry out one of the greatest thefts of all-time: stealing the legendary Toussaint necklace, a diamond stunner which is to be worn by actress Daphne Kluger (played by Anne Hathaway) during the annual Met Gala.

While the characters and their heist might be fictional, the necklace is not. Its name is a nod to Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s creative director during the 1930s, and Jacques Cartier designed the original for the Maharaja of Nawanagar in 1931.

Though it no longer exists, archival drawings and photographs were used as inspiration for the jewel in the film, which was measured specifically for Anne Hathaway. Since it was originally designed for a man, the necklace had to be be sized down to fit Hathaway.