During an interview for the July 2023 issue of Empire, Ethan Coen confirmed that he is developing a new project with brother Joel and that it might be the next thing he works on after the release of “Drive-Away Dolls.”
Ethan did not specify what this next film with Joel would be. On 01.20.23 I reported that the brothers were indeed set to reunite on a new project. A producer/friend had emailed me with the tip. He said it might be a movie titled “The Zebra Striped Hearse.”
The Coens have dozens of unfilmed screenplays, ‘Zebra’ is just one of many. They have an assortment of options to choose from.
Back in 2021, Joel released “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” a solo work. When the project was announced, Ethan’s absence was puzzling. The Coens have always worked together (Joel is usually credited as the director, Ethan as the co-writer). In fact, before ‘Macbeth,’ they hadn’t missed a collaboration together since their 1984 debut “Blood Simple.”
Ethan is about to release “Drive-Away Dolls” this fall — a Lesbian road movie he completed a few months ago, co-written with his wife Tricia Cooke. It could either premiere at Venice and/or Toronto.
The Coens haven’t collaborated on anything since 2018’s “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” They are one of the great living American filmmakers. To learn today’s news that they are reuniting brings me great joy.
The Coen pantheon includes the likes of “No Country For Old Men,” “Fargo,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Barton Fink,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Raising Arizona,” and “A Serious Man” (Also, major shout out to the uber-underrated “Burn After Reading”).
Of course, we all know the rule: take these reactions with a grain of salt rather than treating them as gospel. Still, I will say that the film tested like gangbusters earlier this year, and Lionsgate clearly has confidence.