We didn’t know why brother Ethan was not part of Joel Coen’s upcoming “The Tragedy of Macbeth” adaptation, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. When the project was announced, it was a conspicuous absence, most notably because the Coen Brothers have always worked together (Joel is usually credited as the director, Ethan as the co-writer). In fact, they haven’t missed a collaboration together since their 1984 debut “Blood Simple.”
Well, according to Coen Brothers composer Carter Burwell it’s probably because Ethan has called it quits for good. Burwell claims Ethan lost total interest in moviemaking and is really into playwriting these days.
“Ethan just didn’t want to make movies anymore,” Burwell told Score: The Podcast. Adding, “Ethan seems to be very happy doing what he’s doing, and I’m not sure what Joel will do after [Macbeth].”
Burwell also confirms what many of us Coenheads knew all along — that the brothers have “a ton of scripts they’ve written together that are sitting on various shelves.” “I hope maybe they get back to some of those because I’ve read some, and they’re great,” he continued. “But I don’t know. We’re all at an age where we could retire, but I don’t think that’s exactly what’s going to happen. It’s a wonderfully unpredictable business.”
The Coen Brothers are probably one of the ten great active American directors. To hear that they may have broken up is as shattering to me as it must have been to a music fan hearing that The Beatles broke up back in 1969.
In case you’re wondering, the 5 great active U.S. directors would be Scorsese, Coen, Lynch, PTA, Tarantino, Fincher, Wes Anderson.