Soderbergh: Fourth 'Ocean's' Movie Unlikely Due To Bernie Mac's Passing

Contributed by Todd Gilchrist

During MTV’s recent conversation with "Che" director Steven Soderbergh, discussion turned to the "Ocean’s" trilogy, all three films of which Soderbergh directed.

So what does the future hold for the venerable franchise? Not much, according to Soderbergh, who said that the loss of one among its ranks might leave another film feeling incomplete. “With Bernie Mac being gone, I don’t think any of us would want to return to that,” he said, referring to the comedian’s untimely passing earlier this year.

Soderbergh is one of the most versatile directors in Hollywood , having worked steadily (and interchangeably) as both a crowd-pleaser and art-house auteur since making his directorial debut in 1989 with "Sex, Lies and Videotape."

Though he has since moved on to bigger and more personal projects, specifically his new, four-hour chronicle of the life of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, he admits that he misses the days when he could pal around with the likes of Clooney, Pitt and Don Cheadle. “It’s sad because that was a fun group of people to hang out with,” Soderbergh says.

Still, the director insists that he explored everything he wanted to in the three existing films. “I was done [anyway],” Soderbergh confesses, adding that he enjoyed the chance to experiment in a way he hasn’t even been able to do in his more eccentric or off-the-radar projects. “I got to play on those movies visually in a way that I don’t normally.” (We can only assume he’s referring to the rare challenge of making Matt Damon look unattractive.)

Readers, do you agree that the passing of Mac should mark the end of the "Ocean's" franchise? Let us know.