Hollywood star George Clooney has joked that the next Ocean’s movie should centre on a daring robbery at the Louvre Museum – but his timing couldn’t be more ironic. Just days after his comments, French police confirmed the arrest of two men accused of stealing more than $154 million worth of jewels from the world-famous Paris museum.
The 64-year-old actor, who played suave thief Danny Ocean in the hit film franchise, recently teased that Ocean’s 14 is officially in the works – and he thinks the script should take a cue from real life.
“I think we should rob the Louvre. But somebody’s already done it, man, I dunno,” Clooney told Entertainment Tonight.
“I was amazed that it was in the middle of broad daylight. Insane. But every place gets robbed, I guess.”
The actor even admitted, tongue-in-cheek, that he felt “very proud” of the professionalism behind the heist. “It was cool,” he joked. “I mean, it’s terrible. But if you’re a professional thief like I am, I was very proud of those guys.”
The real-life Louvre robbery that stunned the world
On October 19, a group of thieves pulled off one of the most audacious museum thefts in decades. Disguised as maintenance workers, they used a boom lift to access a side window of the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery, where they smashed display cases and escaped in under eight minutes.
The loot? Eight historic pieces of French crown jewels – including diamond tiaras and sapphire brooches – with an estimated value exceeding €88 million.
Police described the operation as “meticulously planned and executed with military precision.”
Arrests made in the spectacular daylight heist
This weekend, French prosecutors confirmed that two suspects, both men in their 30s, were arrested in connection with the robbery.
One man was detained at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he tried to board a flight to Algeria. The second was picked up in Seine-Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris.
According to Le Monde, both suspects are known to police for previous theft and organised crime offences. The jewels, however, have not yet been recovered.
Investigators are now reviewing DNA evidence and surveillance footage as they work to track down the rest of the gang and locate the missing artefacts.
Life imitates art
The timing has left fans amused at how closely life is echoing Hollywood. Clooney, along with co-stars Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle, has already confirmed that filming for Ocean’s 14 is expected to begin in 2026 after Warner Bros. approved the budget.
“We just got the budget approved and we’re trying to set up,” Clooney said. “It’s just scheduling… probably start in about nine or ten months.”
And while Clooney won’t be directly involved in the upcoming Ocean’s prequel starring Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper, he admitted he’s excited to watch as a fan – especially if the scriptwriters decide to draw inspiration from the latest Parisian drama.