With prequels, sequels and reboots aplenty, it can be pretty tough to keep up with who’s who and what’s what in modern film franchises. In the case of the Ocean’s series of glitzy casino heist films, things are made more difficult still by less than obvious numbering. Rather than being Ocean’s One, Ocean’s Two and so on, after all, the films began at eleven and even then, haven’t stuck to a straightforward chronological order.
If you’ve lost track of the goings on in the series and want a quick refresher or haven’t seen the earlier films but want to pick up with the newest one, we’ve got you covered. We’re going to run through the franchise’s films in order and give you a quick synopsis of what happened, when it happened and who was involved.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Actually a remake of an original 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra, the 2001 edition of Ocean’s Eleven was the first of the modern-day franchise. The plot revolves around Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney), a criminal who at the start of the film is released from prison in New Jersey. Far from planning to go straight, Ocean has his mind set on robbing a well-protected vault beneath the Las Vegas strip, which serves no fewer than three major casinos.
To set his audacious plan into motion, Ocean approaches old friend Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and together they recruit nine other particularly talented crooks to carry out their heist. The $150 million expected to be in the vault isn’t Ocean’s only target, however, as he’s also aiming to win back ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts) from the uncompromising casino boss Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia).
After an elaborate and ultimately successful heist, Ocean confronts Benedict and tells him he can have the cash back if he gives up Tess. Benedict agrees and, unbeknownst to him, Tess sees him doing so. Furious, she leaves him and goes back to Ocean, leading Benedict to report Ocean to the police for violating his parole. He heads to prison for six months, knowing that Tess is waiting for him when he gets out and the rest of the crew ride off into the sunset with $150 million.
Ocean’s Twelve (2004)
Set three years after the first film ends, Ocean’s Twelve begins with the original gang believing they’ve got away clean. That soon changes, however, when each one of them receive a visit from Terry Benedict who reveals that he knows it was they who took his money and gives them just two weeks to return it with interest.
Knowing that they couldn’t get away with another major robbery in the states, the gang – complete with one new recruit making the number up to 12 – head to Europe. There, they plan a major heist in Amsterdam, but are foiled at the last by another thief called the Night Fox (Vincent Cassel). He steals the target of Ocean’s heist before the gang can get to it and leaves them a message.
The message ultimately leads to the Night Fox challenging Ocean to a contest to steal a Fabergé egg, in order to try to prove to the Night Fox’s mentor, Gaspar LeMarque (Albert Finney), that Ocean isn’t a better thief. As the contest unfolds, however, a Europol Agent called Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is clearly close to catching Ocean’s gang in the act. Lahiri is revealed to have a romantic past with Rusty Ryan, but it is another old connection of hers which proves more important.
The film’s conclusion, after all, reveals that she is LeMarque’s estranged daughter and the contest was an elaborate plot on his part to reunite with her and to steal the Faberge egg which he had originally taken years before. Whilst LeMarque undoubtedly manipulates Ocean and his team, he still helps them pay off their debt to Benedict and ensures a happy ending.
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
The last of the original Ocean’s trilogy, Ocean’s Thirteen takes place a number of years after the second film. One of the original Eleven, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould) has tried to go straight by opening a hotel and casino complex with casino magnate Willy Bank (Al Pacino). Bank double-crosses Tishkoff, however, leaving him in hospital and causing Ocean to seek revenge.
Ocean and the gang team up with former rival Terry Benedict, who has a personal axe to grind with Bank, and plan to completely ruin his new casino on its opening night by rigging slots jackpots, counting cards and just generally taking him to the cleaners. Their elaborate plan comes up against a number of setbacks, including when Benedict tries to use the Night Fox to double-cross them.
Ultimately, however, the gang succeed in bringing down Bank’s casino and making off with four valuable diamond necklaces – and no little cash – for their troubles. Thanks to their considerable windfall, they are able to purchase some prime real estate on the Vegas Strip for the now recovered Tishkoff to open his own casino.
Ocean’s Eight (2018)
Essentially a reboot of the franchise with an all-female cast, Ocean’s Eight begins with Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) – Danny’s estranged sister – being released from prison. Danny is revealed to have died and it soon becomes apparent that Debbie is planning a major heist of her own. Her target is the Met Gala in New York and for the job, she needs the perfect all-female crew.
The plunder which Debbie plans to steal is a valuable necklace, which should net each member of the eight woman crew a cool $16.5 million. After some impressive deception and sleight of hand, the crew manage to replace the necklace with an impressive fake, which is only discovered the following day.
The discovery seems to mean that the gang will have the police on their tail, but some further clever manoeuvring sees them divert the blame onto Ocean’s ex-boyfriend Claude (Richard Armitage), who caused Ocean to be imprisoned in the first place. Upon discovering that their haul was actually far more valuable than first thought (they stole more than one necklace), the girls split off to spend their cash and live their dreams.
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