The $100 million Louvre heist has the world talking and has become the number 1 talking point on social media, generating hilarious memes and discourse. While it's devastating on a historical level, people just can't get enough of the story, especially how seamlessly perfect it all went in broad daylight. One of those impressed is George Clooney, who knows a thing or two about a good heist after starring in the Ocean's franchise.
At the Los Angeles premiere of Jay Kelly on Oct. 23, Clooney told Variety, “I wonder if they're going to catch these guys." “I mean, they seem to have done a pretty good job of getting away with it," he gushed.
The Hollywood icon called the robbery “cool, though." He caught himself adding, "I mean, it's terrible. But if you're a professional thief like I am, I was very proud of those guys.”
Ocean’s fourth movie, not counting the 2018 spinoff, begins filming in 2026, and Clooney quipped, “We should rob the Louvre. But somebody's already done it, man, I don't know.”
Clooney isn't lying, the heist is impressive. In just seven minutes, with the help of a furniture lift, four thieves on scooters smashed into two high-security cases in the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery and threatened security, making off with nine priceless pieces of French royalty.
Among the loot was an emerald necklace set with 1,138 diamonds gifted by Napoleon to his second wife, Marie-Louise, along with a diamond and sapphire diadem, a reliquary brooch with Mazarin diamonds, a diamond bow brooch, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl diadem. Eugénie’s ornate gold crown, adorned with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, was later recovered nearby but reportedly damaged.
The Louvre called the stolen jewels “historical masterpieces,” noting that many were worn by Queen Marie-Amélie, Queen Hortense, and other royals, showcasing early 19th-century Parisian craftsmanship.
Louvre director Laurence des Cars said in testimony to the French Senate, “Today we are experiencing a terrible failure at the Louvre, which I take my share of responsibility in." She acknowledged the museum had "weaknesses," including a shortage of security cameras. She submitted her resignation, but the culture minister refused to accept it.
Investigators have begun searching the scene and video tapes, with the world eagerly watching to see if they will find the thieves. Because the jewels are so recognizable, the gems and diamonds will likely be removed, and the gold and silver melted down.