Although the news that Ocean’s 14 is in development is exciting, the Ocean’s franchise reunion will be a bittersweet one due to two losses. The Ocean’s 11 franchise dates all the way back to 1960, when the Rat Pack’s Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. united for the original crime comedy caper Ocean’s 11. Director Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 hit Ocean’s 11 brought together a star-studded cast to offer a flip, postmodern take on the same story.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt led the lineup, but there was a lot of star power to back them up. The cast of Ocean’s 11 also included Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, Carl Reiner, Qin Shaobo, Don Cheadle, Eddie Jemison, Andy Garcia, and Scott Caan. The rest of the Ocean’s franchise kept the celebrity cameos coming, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bruce Willis appearing in Ocean’s 12, while Al Pacino and Vincent Cᴀssel cropped up in 2007’s Ocean’s 13.

Ocean’s 14 Will Be A Bittersweet Reunion Without Bernie Mac & Carl Reiner

Ocean’s 14 Won’t Be The Same Without Frank and Saul

While the celebrity cameos were fun, the тιтular eleven con men were the true heart of the original trilogy. As such, the news that Bullet Train director David Leitch is attached to the proposed franchise reboot Ocean’s 14 is a mixed blessing. Ocean’s 11 stars Carl Reiner and Bernie Mac have pᴀssed away since the 2007 release of Ocean’s 13, and the reboot won’t feel the same without them around. Saul’s sardonic interjections and Frank’s high-energy comic explosions both brought unique charm to the original trilogy.

Outside the Ocean’s franchise, Mac was well known for his roles in Friday, The Player’s Club, Life, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, and Bad Santa, as well as his comedy series The Bernie Mac Show. Reiner was a Hollywood comedy veteran who collaborated with Mel Brooks for years before directing a string of successful Steve Martin vehicles, including The Jerk, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Don’t Wear Plaid, and The Man with Two Brains. While the proposed Ocean’s 11 prequel starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie could have recast Reiner and Mac with younger actors, a straight sequel can’t take this approach.

How Ocean’s 14 Can Honor Bernie Mac’s Frank & Carl Reiner’s Saul

Frank and Saul Deserve A Tribute In The Forthcoming Reboot

Fortunately, Ocean’s 14 can include a tribute to Saul and Frank while introducing the new members of the movie’s line-up. The two characters could have younger proteges who replace them, and the reboot could confirm that the characters died with their actors. Alternatively, Ocean’s 14 could repeat the surprising approach taken by 2018’s Ocean’s 8.

At the end of that reboot, the heroine visits her brother’s grave and confirms that Clooney’s Danny Ocean died off-screen at some point. However, due to the twisty nature of the series and the con artistry of its heroes, viewers can be sure this was all part of a long con. Similarly, the most fitting way for Ocean’s 14 to pay homage to Saul and Frank’s late actors Carl Reiner and Bernie Mac might be for the reboot to never explicitly confirm whether the Ocean’s franchise’s supporting characters were really ᴅᴇᴀᴅ or not.