Filming of the Ocean's Eleven prequel starts in Nice

10 September, filming of the Ocean’s Eleven prequel with Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper began by the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice. At the same time, The White Lotus and Emily in Paris crews are working on the Riviera — three major productions in one department at once.

Heist at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix

The set was deployed a stone’s throw from the basilica: dozens of trucks with equipment, gear along the pavements and temporary traffic restrictions, reports France 3 Côte d’Azur. The prequel tells the story of Danny Ocean’s parents, who are planning a heist during the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix — the plot was confirmed by Margot Robbie herself.

Bradley Cooper is directing the film, and he also plays one of the main roles. The cast includes Wagner Moura, Monica Barbaro, Josh Gad, Vicky Krieps and George MacKay. Filming began in July in Paris, then the crew worked in Monaco, and in the Alpes-Maritimes they will continue until October. The premiere is scheduled for 25 June 2027.

The White Lotus and the final season of Emily in Paris

HBO is also shooting the fourth season of The White Lotus on the Riviera: the action is set during the Cannes Film Festival, with filming taking place in Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco and Paris; the cast includes Laura Dern, Vincent Cassel and Nadia Tereszkiewicz. By comparison: the second season was filmed in Sicily, the third in Thailand.

Netflix, meanwhile, finished work in Nice on the sixth and final season of Emily in Paris: scenes with Lily Collins and Lucas Bravo were shot from 28 August to 10 September, extras were recruited through local agencies — announcements were published by Nice Premium. The season premieres on 24 December.

Why studios are returning to the Côte d’Azur

• Natural locations within half an hour’s drive: promenades, the old town, mountain villages, Monaco.
• The international C2I tax credit refunds foreign producers 30% of the budget spent in France, up to €30 million per project; in autumn 2025 it was extended until the end of 2031.
• Experience and infrastructure: the region has been filmed in for decades — from Hitchcock’s ‘To Catch a Thief’ to the current summer film screenings under the stars in Cannes.

What this means for residents

A walk through the centre of Nice in the coming weeks may run into a closed street: restrictions at the Notre-Dame basilica are in force for the duration of filming shifts. On the plus side, the chance to see the filming process — and the stars — is higher than usual. It also brings money to the region: crews book out hotels, hire local technicians and extras, and names like Jean Reno have long made the coast part of film mythology.

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Photo: Syed Qaarif Andrabi / Pexels