All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (2024)

Warning: Contains spoilers for Ocean's 8.

We've known from the start that Sandra Bullock is playing Danny Ocean's (George Clooney) sister Debbie Ocean in Ocean's 8, but it turns out there are actually more links to the original trilogy in store.

It's already been confirmed that Matt Damon's cameo, likely reprising his role as Linus Caldwell, was cut from the movie, with director Gary Ross saying that it was down to "editorial and storytelling reasons", but that's still left plenty for Ocean's fans to savour.

We're about to head into spoiler territory, so don't read past the trailer if you want to remain surprised. You've been warned.

All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (1)

Fans have been concerned since the first trailer for Ocean's 8 was unveiled that George Clooney's Danny Ocean had been killed off-screen following a shot of Debbie sitting in front of what appeared to be Danny's grave.

During an opening sequence of Debbie getting out of prison - that's very similar to Danny's prison release at the start of Ocean's Eleven - we appear to get the confirmation that, alas, Danny is no more. "My brother, may he rest in peace, was a criminal," Debbie tells the parole board, before we see her visit the grave we spotted in the trailer.

"You'd better be in there," Debbie says to the grave, giving us our first hint that maybe Danny isn't dead. It's here we get the first of two cameos from characters in the original trilogy as a dashingly-dressed Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) visits Debbie at the grave with a message from beyond it.

It seems that Danny was fully aware what Debbie has been planning for the last five years in prison and told Reuben that it was a "brilliant" plan, albeit one that was likely to see her end up back in prison – so he has left it to Reuben to persuade her not to do it.

He's not successful, which is pretty lucky really as otherwise there wouldn't have been a movie.

All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (4)

For the majority of the movie, we don't really get many other references to either the original Ocean's trilogy or Danny Ocean's fate.

However, we do see a photo of Danny in Debbie and Lou's place and characters ask Debbie if Danny's really dead and she doesn't seem sure – neither would you be if your brother made a living from con tricks, to be fair.

It's not until near the end of the movie that you realise an original Ocean's character has been in on the heist the whole time... and it's not Danny.

Instead, we realise that Debbie and Lou (Cate Blanchett) hired everyone's favourite acrobat, The Amazing Yen (Shaobo Qin), to help steal ALL of the jewels on display at the Met Gala.

All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (6)

While the building was on lockdown after the $150 million Cartier necklace went missing, Debbie distracted the guards as Lou and The Amazing Yen bypassed the lasers in classic Ocean's fashion to steal the rest of the jewels, leading to a bumper payout for the ladies (and Yen, we assume).

The movie ends with Debbie returning to Danny's grave and preparing a martini for herself, as you do. It's here where you expect that we'll see Clooney make his triumphant cameo, likely coming out from behind Debbie to accept his drink or congratulate her on her successful heist – but it never happens.

Instead, Debbie says, "You would have loved it," and the movie ends, without a post-credits scene either.

All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (8)

So is Danny really dead? For now, yes, but we reckon that he can easily be brought back in an Ocean's 8 sequel should it get one, and its early US box office performance suggests it will. After all, we never actually see Danny's body or get any explanation as to how he died.

Even Clooney thinks he'll be back.

"I haven't seen it yet. I can't wait to see it. I hope it's a big hit. I hear they kill me! Spoiler alert, I'm dead. I found out late. That's okay, I'm never really dead on those shows," he joked to Extra.

So don't go building those Danny Ocean memorials just yet.

Ocean's 8 is out in the US now and will be released in the UK on June 18.

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All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (9)

Ian Sandwell

Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.

All the ways Ocean's 8 links to Ocean's Eleven (2024)
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