Matt Damon's Star-Studded Franchise-Starter Breaks Back Into Theaters for 25th Anniversary

1 week ago 12

Published Feb 17, 2026, 3:40 PM EST

Makuochi Echebiri is a News Writer for Collider. He has been interested in creative writing from as far back as high school, and he would consume pretty much anything that’s film or TV. However, his truest love lies in the presence of historical epics and thrillers.

Lured by the brilliance of Middle Earth from an early age both in print and on screen, his palate has since expanded to other realms including Westeros, Kattegat among others. He also possesses a great appetite for the stories that emanate from the vastness of space. Even though he is no Avenger.

Obsessed with storytelling and having works of his own that have yet to make it to print, he is content to use that ability to communicate to as many as are reachable. In his spare time, he looks out for avenues where he can aid people aside from his plans to reign over this earthly realm. Yes…you heard that first here.

The perfect blend that delivers a great movie lies somewhere in between brilliant writing and a great cast. Sometimes, they match so perfectly and a franchise is born. Franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Expendables, and Pirates of the Caribbean, for instance, all have one thing in common. Brilliant writing and an even better cast, all of which began with one hit movie. However, one franchise has a collection of stars unlike anything we've ever seen.

There are stacked casts, and then you pan around, and there’s the Ocean’s trilogy — a franchise so overloaded with movie stars that it still feels fake when you rewatch. It all begins with the first film, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), which somehow convinced powerhouses like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, and Don Cheadle to share the screen, and that was only just the beginning. Toss in Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Carl Reiner, and Elliott Gould, and suddenly, you’ve got an ensemble that feels more like a Hollywood roll call than a cast list.

Ocean’s Thirteen in 2007 completed the trilogy, and since then, there have been some angling for a return. That wish has been granted. Ahead of Ocean’s 14 moving forward, there is even more joy for those who are fans of the original trilogy. Fathom Entertainment, just as they did with The Lord of the Rings recently, has announced that Ocean's Eleven will be returning to theaters for its 25th anniversary on June 21 and 24 as part of its 2026 annual Big Screen Classics film series. The original trilogy is directed by Steven Soderbergh, and this offers the perfect excuse to revisit one of the slickest and coolest films ever made. Fans will get to see Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan back in action in Eleven, which was the best-reviewed film in the trilogy.

What's Happening With 'Ocean's 14'?

The film has been confirmed and, according to reports, Clooney and a large swath of his casino-robbing pals will be making a return. While Soderbergh had directed all three films in the original trilogy, Ocean's 14 seems primed to be going in a different direction. Clooney recently caught up with E! News to chat about his new movie, Jay Kelly, and as expected, he was asked about the status of the long-awaited Ocean’s 14 movie:

"We got the budget approved at Warner Bros. and we’re trying to get it set up. “It’s just scheduling, so it’s setting a start date for us. Probably start in about nine or 10 months, shooting. [I'm looking forward to working with] Brad [Pitt], Matt [Damon], Don [Cheadle], and Julia [Roberts]. I had dinner with Julia last night. They’re all still really dear friends. And so, the chance to work together would be so fun.”

Ocean's Eleven will return to theaters on June 21 and 24, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for updates.