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‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel finds its villain as ‘Star Wars’ actor joins Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper

A high-profile actor is in talks to join the ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel, taking on a character expected to stand in the way of the film’s schemers.

Warner Bros. appears to have found the latest piece of the puzzle for its upcoming ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brazilian actor Wagner Moura is in negotiations to join the cast of the untitled project, which already has Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper in leading roles. The original movies followed Danny Ocean and his crew as they planned elaborate robberies across glamorous locations. But this new installment takes audiences back in time for a story that predates everything fans have seen before. Moura is reportedly being lined up to play the movie’s main villain. Details about the character are still being kept tightly under wraps, but his role is expected to place him directly in the path of Robbie and Cooper’s characters.

In the ‘Ocean’s’ franchise, antagonists have often been just as memorable as the heroes. From Andy Garcia’s casino owner Terry Benedict in the 2001 film to later franchise foes played by Vincent Cassel and Al Pacino, the series has a history of giving its villains plenty to do. The potential addition of Moura brings another outstanding performer into the mix. The actor received praise for his lead performance in 2025’s ‘The Secret Agent’. Many viewers also know him from his work in ‘Narcos’ and ‘Civil War’, while animation fans recently heard him among the lead voices in Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’. Of course, negotiations are still ongoing, so no official casting announcement has been made yet. 

Still, if the deal crosses the finish line, Warner Bros. may have found exactly the kind of villain needed to keep two master con artists on their toes. The untitled feature will not reunite George Clooney and the familiar crew from the modern ‘Ocean’s’ trilogy. Instead, Warner Bros. is heading in a completely different direction with a period setting and an entirely new story. The movie is set during the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most glamorous events in motorsport. Earlier this year, audiences got a small tease of the project during CinemaCon. Through a promotional reel, Robbie hinted at how the film connects to the earlier ‘Ocean’s’ movies. “Before Danny Ocean ever stepped foot in Vegas, two masterminds taught him everything he knows … his parents,” she said in the presentation.

Meanwhile, Robbie and Cooper are expected to portray Danny Ocean’s parents. Cooper is taking on multiple responsibilities for the project. In addition to starring in the film, he is directing and producing it. Robbie is also serving as a producer through LuckyChap, the production company she runs with Tom Ackerley. The screenplay has also gone through several stages before reaching production. Cooper wrote the latest version of the script, while Carrie Solomon completed earlier drafts. Warner Bros. clearly has confidence in the project, already setting a theatrical release date of June 25, 2027. Production is expected to kick off in late July. Filming will reportedly begin in Paris before shifting to locations in the South of France.