Move over, Danny Ocean, Sandra Bullock is in town. Yes, Hollywood has caught the reboot fever, and the recent wave of modern do-overs shows no sign of letting up, now that IndieWire brings word that the Gravity and Our Brand Is Crisis star has reportedly agreed a deal to topline a gender-swapped reboot of Ocean’s Eleven.
According to the outlet, sources close to the nascent project claim that the nugget for a reboot has been on the table for some time, and Bullock’s casting was a by-product of the actress’ close partnership with George Clooney – Clooney served as producer on Our Brand Is Crisis. That’s not all, though, original Ocean’s director Steven Soderbergh has lobbied for the notion of an all-female film, one which one see Bullock step into an instrumental role not dissimilar to Clooney’s Danny Ocean.
In terms of the talent attached behind the lens, IndieWire notes that Seabiscuit and The Hunger Games director Gary Ross is in line to helm the reboot of Ocean’s Eleven, though there is nary a mention of plot or release window at this early stage.
Naysayers be damned, the growing interest in rebooting existing franchises and switching the genders of its leading players is heartening to see. So long as it’s done with care and respect and isn’t contrived – like, say, Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters – then there’s no reason for Hollywood studios to dismiss the idea outright. Besides, for a property in the vein of Ocean’s Eleven, one which simply oozes potential of comic interplay between its ensemble cast, Bullock, Clooney and Ross could be on to something if done right. Now let the casting speculation begin!