Bradley Cooper transforms Port of Nice into 1960s F1 street circuit for Ocean's prequel

Vintage Formula 1 cars are threading through a temporary street circuit built along the Port of Nice waterfront, with new footage offering the clearest look yet at how Bradley Cooper’s Ocean’s prequel is staging its early-1960s racing sequences. The working harbour has been dressed to evoke a European road course of the era, complete with hay bale chicanes, retro liveries and period sponsor branding from Martini, BP and Shell.

The footage, circulating on Instagram, opens with a Nissan GT-R camera vehicle leading a pack of open-wheel racers along the quay. A dark red car with a white stripe — resembling a Brabham — heads the group, with several others in close company. The port authority building, still bearing its “Service Plaisance Yachting” signage, sits alongside film trailers and crew staging areas, the contrast between working harbour and period race circuit giving the sequence an authentically chaotic feel.

The standout moment comes at a tight hairpin right at the water’s edge, where the lead red car is squeezed wide and overtaken as a blue car crowds its gearbox through the corner.

The untitled prequel is set during the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix weekend and follows Danny Ocean’s parents as they execute a heist against the backdrop of the race. Cooper took over writing, directing and acting duties following Lee Isaac Chung’s departure in March 2026 after disagreements over the film’s creative direction. Principal photography spans Paris, Monaco and Nice.

Margot Robbie, who stars and produces, has described the film’s premise: “Before Danny Ocean ever stepped foot in Vegas, two masterminds taught him everything he knows: his parents.”

The cast also includes Wagner Moura, Monica Barbaro, Vicky Krieps, George MacKay and Omar Sy. The film is scheduled for release on 25 June 2027.