Clooney and Pitt to return for 'Ocean's 13'

Brad Pitt and George Clooney

LOS ANGELES - With several million dollar hits behind them, one would think George Clooney and Brad Pitt wouldn't need to steal, but they do and are returning to the scene of the crime.

Warner Bros. film studio on today announced they were pairing up for a third movie in the successful crime film franchise featuring master thief Danny Ocean.

The movie, "Ocean's 13", follows "Ocean's Eleven" and "Ocean's Twelve" which together earned more than US$800 million worldwide.

Producer Jerry Weintraub would only divulge one secret of the new movie: "There's going to be a heist," he told Reuters.

"13" takes place in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and returning with Clooney and Pitt are Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle and other original actors. Ellen Barkin has signed up to co-star and Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh will return as director.

Warner Bros. said filming is set to begin in July, but a release date has yet to be set.

In the movies, Clooney's Danny Ocean and Pitt's Rusty Ryan lead a pack of thieves who are specialists in crime. In the first movie they hit a Las Vegas hotel and in the second they planned three big heists in Paris, Rome and Amsterdam.

"Ocean's Eleven," made in 2001 and based on a 1960 movie starring Frank Sinatra and his Las Vegas "Rat Pack," raked in more than US$450 million worldwide, and three years later "Ocean's Twelve" pulled in another US$360 million.

Clooney won a best supporting actor Oscar earlier this month for playing a CIA agent in the political drama "Syriana."

- REUTERS