Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub have set a July 21st start date for "Ocean's Thirteen," and Ellen Barkin is the pic's new leading lady. Weintraub wouldn't disclose plot details, other than that Barkin gets closely involved with Damon's character reports Variety.

Soderbergh has already committed to direct returning cast members George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner and Elliott Gould. Previous film's leading ladies - Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones - are not involved.

Filming will take place primarily on five soundstages on the WB lot in Burbank, where a fully operational casino will be built. WB will co-finance with Village Roadshow Pictures for a Summer 2007 release, the script this time by "Rounders" scribes Brian Koppelman and David Levien.