Cast This: "Ocean's Ocho"
Monday, June 6, 2016 at 4:30PM Remember that time when everyone was excited about the prospect of a female Expendables even though that action series wasn't any good in the first place? We were guilty, too. But the prospect of an all female version of another Oceans 11, not THAT sounds worthy of premature fandom.
There's one in the works right now with Sandra Bullock & Cate Blanchett headlining a la Clooney & Pitt.
The film is currently being referred to as Oceans Ocho suggesting the team of thieves is only 8 women wide this time and maybe it's taking place in some Spanish-friendly locale? We wish it were using the working title of Oceans Veinticuatro because more actresses hollaaaaa.
There are already rumors zooming around about other possible co-stars like Jennifer Lawrence (because that one needs more franchise. smh) and Gillian Anderson (a far more intriguing proposition) but nothing is set in stone since we're still talking casting and pre-production.
1960s Cast 
2000s cast
We need six more actresses to work with Bullock and Blanchett. Who would you have them be and why?
Remember that the first two iterations of this franchise had a wide range of stardom-levels, ages, and personalities so follow suit with your suggestions. Let's make it extra enticing!
Reader Comments (63)
Rose Byrne, Nicole Kidman, Kristen Wiig, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosamund Pike, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Hear me out -
Rose Byrne
Constance Wu
Wanda Sykes
Tracy Ellis Ross
Anna Kendrick
and as the Matt Damon of the group... Emma Stone.
Sigourney Weaver in the Carl Reiner role,she has a knack for off beat comedy.
Angela Bassett
Julie Bowen
Jamie Lee Curtis
Viola Davis
Eden Sher
America Ferrera
Michelle Pfeiffer
Sigourney Weaver
And have them subjected to the would-be shit-show that is the Ghostbusters "backlash"? And as a woman? No thanks, not even for fun. These ladies deserve an original plot to showcase their comedic, quick-witted talents. For gawd sakes, Hollywood, give them a new script!
I want Jenny Slate and Regina King involved.
Greg: Constance Wu AND Emma Stone? I think Hollywood has a rule against two Asian women in the same movie.
And why only 8 women? By Hollywood salary standards you can hire 18 actresses for the same price as 11 men.
Give me Sally Field or give me death!
If six in addition?
Katie Jarvis (I know, I know, but Pet Cause, okay) (because, though I get why some people think franchise fare isn't the best way forward, she needs SOME sort of break and I get the sense that she's the kind of British actress that American auteurs would be eating her up like cocktail shrimp if they knew she existed)
Sigourney Weaver
Viola Davis
Gillian Anderson
Michelle Pfeiffer
Rosamund Pike
If eight? Add:
Emma Stone
Rose Byrne
Let's get Kat Dennings out of TV limbo for this. I would second the Tracee Ellis Ross nomination. Melonie Diaz, Ari Graynor, Ellen Page, Miranda Hart?
Ellen Wong
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Naomie Harris
Sigourney Weaver
Alfre Woodard
Kristen Bell
(And if they went to the full 11)
Reese Witherspoon
Mary Steenburgen
America Ferrera
Stole a couple of these from above because they were inspired choices.
Isla Fisher, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Garner, and Michelle Yeoh.
Oh, and also? MICHELLE YEOH.
Brevity: That first part was a joke, right? Seriously, bleep Aloha, and bleep Cameron Crowe for thinking that was okay in 2015.
Pam: Oceans 11, though good, is 1. Not revered at the level Ghostbusters is and 2. Not tied to early childhood memories in the way the original Ghostbusters became. How you react to how a pretty good but not masterful movie you first warmed up to in your late teens-early 20s getting an uninspired re-do is very different from how you react to a perceived masterpiece you first warmed up to around the 8-12 (which is a LOT of Ghostbusters fans perception of it (myself included), sorry) area. There might be some vitriol, but 1. The total amount of it would only amount to about 6% of what happened with Ghostbusters 2016 and 2. The anger tinged with sexism would be 90% of the vocal backlash, not the 50-60% (yes, I am saying that 40-50% of that backlash would still exist if trailers that unfunny starring men were identified as a remake of Ghostbusters) for Ghostbusters 2016.
I love the Ari Graynor suggestion. She can be one of the Caan-Affleck pair. Give the other one to Gillian Jacobs. Aalso, give Mo'nigue another shot for the Bernie Mac role.
Please let this film happen and be awesome.
My six?
Sarah Paulson
Lupita N'yongo
Marisa Tomei
Regina King
Jacki Weaver
Can't we find a way to fit in more? Like Jennifer Tilly and Parker Posey? Those two together as bantering con artist buddies would make my like complete.
And they will need marks to swindle right?
Like...
Anjelica Huston
Rose Byrne
Ellen Burstyn
Uma Thurman
And if they're skewing younger (I'm hopeful that won't be the case if Blanchett and Bullock are indicators):
Emma Watson
Gabourey Sidibe
Jena Malone
Yaya DaCosta
Elizabeth Debicki
Dianne Wiest, Marisa Tomei, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jennifer Hudson, Helen McCrory, Mary McDonnell all come to mind.
Teyonah Parris, Chelsea Peretti.
@Pam, I don't think anyone cares enough the Ocean's franchise neither to bother complaining about it nor actually going to it.
Blanchett
Bullock
+
Teyonah Parris
Maggie Cheung
JJ Leigh
Andrea Riseborough
Rosario Dawson
Saorse Ronan
Yeah, that'll do it.
Sharon Stone...
Actually Jennifer Lawrence was already offered the part that Brad Pitt played but probably can't do it because of scheduling conflicts...As much as I like Bullock and Blanchett, if Lawrence is out, I'm out...
Octavia Spencer
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Gina Rodriguez
Sally Field
Ellen Page
Maggie Q
Something like that.
Sigourney Weaver
Rosamund Pike
Rose Byrne
Zhang Ziyi
Rosario Dawson
Isabelle Huppert
At the end of this, give your personal top 10 "Most wanted" list of suggestions made here.
How about the entire female cast of tv's Mom?
Anna Faris, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Pressly, Mimi Kennedy, and Beth Hall. They've already got superb chemistry and such precise comedic presence. With a special cameo for Linda Lavin and Viola Davis in the Andy Garcia role in a mini Help reunion with Janney and Spencer.
Eva Green and Winona Ryder.
Anne Hathaway or bust.
This would be a weird ensemble--but why not!
* Frances Conroy (incredible actress, can do almost anything, severely under-used)
* Nicole Kidman (star quality, great actress, works well as the star of her own show and as an ensemble player)
* Maria Bamford (hilarious and generous with co-stars)
* Kerry Washington (talented actress AND she can do comedy [see: SNL])
* Charlotte Gainsbourg (because I love her and it'd be cool to see her in something totally different like this)
* Parker Posey (because she makes everything better)
I don't see how they don't cast Melissa Mccarthy in this; if she's available, it's a lock.
Remember Oceans 11 only had two movie starts (Damon was not on that level yet until Bourne). Cast accordingly! And no McCarthy and the entire cast of Ghostbusters and Bridesmaids is ineligible.
The A-List movie starts (aka Pitt & Clooney): Cate & Sandra
The rising star who can play dork well (Damon): Bel Powley
> Under-rated gems who need a vehicle
Jennifer Ehle (fab in everything)
Carrie Preston (great in everything but True Blood)
>Appreciated power-houses with huge fan-bases but under-utilized:
Lucy Lawless
Carla Gugino
>TV powerhouse who has been giving awards worthy performances for years on television
Amy Acker (Dollhouse & Person of Interest)
There are my eight but my alternates:
> Tricia Helfer (SO funny in her Chuck episodes)
> Elizabeth Mitchell (3rd best performer in all of Lost)
> Olivia Williams (do I need a reason?)
> Michelle Forbes (do I need a reason?)
> Imelda Staunton
> Katey Sagal
> Gemma Arterton (I don't care what anyone says, she is 10x the actress Saiorse Ronan is - just watch Byzantium and tell me differently).
> Summer Glau (how is it possible that she has ZERO upcoming projects on IMDB)
Oh, and of course, as always, the loves of my life Rosario Dawson or Eva Green
ANGELA LANSBURY in Carl Reiner's role!!
Sally Field
Saoirse Ronan
Lupita Nyong o
Helena Bonham Carter
Pam Grier
And in the Julia Roberts/Angie Dickinson role-Hugh Grant, Ewan McGregor or Steve Carell
Ocean's Ocho? Clearly they need Salma Hayek.
Nicole Kidman
Michelle Pfeiffer
Glenn Close
Olivia Spencer
Michelle Yeoh
Penelope Cruz
Going from the male cast:
George Clooney: Sandy Bullock
Brad Pitt: Cate Blanchett
Matt Damon: Emma Stone
Don Cheadle: Regina King
Scott Caan/Casey Affleck: Rose Byrne
Bernie Mac: Emma Thompson
Carl Reiner: Lily Tomlin
Elliott Gould: Angela Basset
Then,
Cameron Diaz in the Andy Garcia role
Idris Elba in the Julia Roberts role.
Second anyone's list with Michelle Yeoh in it. Graceful, strong, independent; perfect casting choice. Another strong point: diversity.
She's a national pride.
Lupita, Tatiana Maslany, Frances Conroy. And I don't know why, but I can imagine Emma Watson nailing a comedic role.
Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer for the Caan-Affleck pair.
Starring
Cate Blanchett
Sandra Bullock
with
Anna Kendrick, Selma Hayek, Taryn Manning, Jenny Slate, Leslie Uggams
and
Cher
I'm loving some of these choices I'm reading.
I'd love to fit Gabourey Sidibe in there.
(I really wanted to get Wanda Sykes in the Bernie Mac role.)
Nicole Kidman
Michelle Yeoh
Helena Bonham Carter
Vera Farmiga
Angela Bassett
Marion Cotillard
Okay, and now I'm going a different way:
Starring
Cate Blanchett
Sandra Bullock
with
Judy Greer
Sandra Oh
Margot Robbie
Anika Noni Rose
Lois Smith
and
Angelica Huston
Cate Blanchett
Sandra Bullock
Tilda Swinton
Gong Li
Marion Cotillard
Kerry Washington
Sigourney Weaver
And
Jennifer Lawrence
I could only dream.
I'm not crazy about the idea of a an all-female Ocean's movie because I don't like the idea of having a boy's team and a girl's team. But if I were to pick six more actresses:
Rose Byrne
Margot Robbie
Lupita Nyong'o
Melonie Diaz
Tilda Swinton
Zhang Ziyi
Matt -- Melonie Diaz. what a great idea
everyone -- also love the Michelle Yeoh idea.
Reading all of these suggestions there is only one thing that is clear: It´s almost impossible that a casting director can fuck this up. There are so many good choices. I want this now.
In reality, we should only expect around three roles with meat. Everyone else may just have one focused on them or two and will need to be able to (a) shine from the sidelines and (b) take a small role.
I also want Jenny Slate! Have a hard time thinking of anyone else, but if they want to bring someone from the old franchise, why not Cherry Jones.
I have chosen six actresses who have been unforgivably marginalized in the industry and need to have their luminous talents shine brightly in a big way RIGHT NOW:
Marsha Mason
Kathy Baker
Debbi Morgan
Christine Lahti
Lauren Holly
Jennifer Ehle
The Thieves:
Cate Blanchett - Idris Elba eye candy
Sandra Bullock - Chris Hemsworth eye candy
Gillian Anderson
Li Gong
Tilda Swinton
Charlotte Rampling
Emily Blunt
Penelope Cruz
Villains:
Gina Torres
Lupita Nyongo
Angela Bassett
Ruth Negga