Lee Isaac Chung has departed the project over “creative differences,” after Jay Roach, Warner Bros.’ original pick, made the decision to split.

Margot Robbie’s Ocean’s Eleven prequel loses its director — again

Lee Isaac Chung has departed the project over "creative differences," after Jay Roach, Warner Bros.' original pick, made the decision to split.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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on March 4, 2026 6:49 p.m. ET

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Lee Isaac Chung and Margot Robbie. Credit:

JC Olivera/Variety via Getty; Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Margot Robbie's *Ocean's Eleven *prequel has lost another ringleader.

* *has confirmed that Lee Isaac Chung, who stepped in for Jay Roach, Warner Bros. original pick when the project was announced in 2022, has now followed the *Austin Powers *director in departing the film.

"This is an amicable split due to creative differences," a spokesperson for the studio told EW on Wednesday.

In a joint statement, Warner Bros. and LuckyChap, Robbie's production company, noted, "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."

Jay Roach at 'The Roses' U.K. premiere in 2025.

Simon Ackerman/FilmMagic

Robbie's grand scheme for the heist franchise kicked off by Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, and Warners in 2001 (itself a remake of the 1960 film starring "Rat Pack" members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.) originally had Roach lined up to direct and *The Good Fight*'s Carrie Solomon on the screenplay.

Months after that announcement, Ryan Gosling entered talks to re-team with his *Barbie *costar in the cast. Roach was out by July 2025, when Chung was reported to have entered his own round of talks to board the film as director, and then Bradley Cooper became the prime candidate to star opposite Robbie.

Ryan Gosling reportedly in talks to reunite with Margot Robbie on new 'Ocean's Eleven' movie

George Clooney says 'Ocean's 14' will likely start filming in 2026 after teasing 'a great script'

Clooney, meanwhile, has indicated that a new sequel in the *Ocean's *franchise has a "great script" in the works, and even had its "budget approved at Warner Bros."

Though his *Ocean's *sequel does not yet have an official title, it does boast Soderbergh back in the director's chair, and original stars like Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts back in the cast.

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Bradley Cooper and Margot Robbie in 2024.

Lester Cohen/Getty

Chung wrote and directed three films before his big breakout in 2020 with *Minari*. Starring Steven Yeun, the family drama racked up six Academy Award nominations and one win, for supporting actress Youn Yuh-jung. He made his first move into the franchise space in 2024 with the disaster sequel *Twisters*.

Roach, meanwhile, has directed 12 films, including the entire, highly profitable *Austin Powers *franchise. While he generally shepherds a new project into the world every two to three years, it wasn't until six years after the release of the political drama *Bombshell*, and three after he signed on to direct the *Ocean's *prequel, that he released his latest film, the black comedy *The Roses*.

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Source: “EW Movie”