We're due for our next adventure in silver screen larceny next summer when Ocean's 8 finally debuts, but the title of the caper naturally has me wondering why Debbie Ocean's team has three fewer members than Danny's team in the original flick did. As it turns out, the name of the upcoming, female-driven heist film actually comes from Ocean's Eleven director and Ocean's 8 producer Steven Soderbergh as a means to potentially pave the way for a trilogy. Ocean's 8 director Gary Ross explained:
It was Soderbergh's idea. He said we can do eight, nine, and 10 -- after that we'll be sick of them.
Every member of the team has to serve a purpose. From the hacker and the fence to the jewelry designer, every element of the Ocean's 8 unit needs to feel designed to be part of the overall ensemble. For Steven Soderbergh, the pro to using a team of eight meant there would be enough vital characters, plus would offer the franchise a chance to do Ocean's 9 and Ocean's 10 with additional team members before (by his estimation) audiences eventually grow bored. It worked well for Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, so there's seemingly no point in deviating from that system now.
It is worth mentioning that Gary Ross' remark to EW about Steven Soderbergh's rationale for a Debbie Ocean trilogy doesn't necessarily mean that sequels are going to happen. Leaving room between Ocean's 8 and Ocean's Eleven (as they share continuity) affords the studio the chance to make two sequels if they want to, but as of right now we haven't heard anything about a long-term plan for this franchise offshoot.
Ocean's 8 is definitely a catchy title for a heist film, and it obviously paves the way for a clear trilogy until the storyline catches up with the male-centric continuity. However, this explanation of the title still doesn't clarify one pressing question about the Ocean's 8 story: who is the eighth member of the crew? The first official trailer for the film recently dropped, but it only shows seven women working on the film's central heist of the Met Gala in New York. This disparity has led some to theorize that Anne Hathaway's Daphne Kluger is actually Member 8 of the team (serving as an inside woman to help them pull off the job).
Beyond that, other theories have also suggested that Member 8 could be anyone ranging from Carl Reiner's Saul Bloom (who is confirmed for a cameo) to George Clooney's Danny Ocean (who might not be as dead as the film suggests). At this point, all we know for sure is that the team is supposed to have eight members to live up to its title.
Ocean's 8 will hit theaters next summer on June 8, 2018.
