Coen Brothers’ Horror Film Delayed as Joel Goes Solo Again

We’re all hoping for a reunion between the Coen brothers. They’re one of the great living filmmakers. Sadly, fans will have to be patient a little longer.

In early 2023, Ethan Coen revealed that he and Joel were co-writing a horror film—their first joint directing effort in more than seven years. At the time, there was speculation about filming beginning in 2024. However, a few months ago, I had reported that the project had been delayed, as Joel is reportedly focusing on his next solo film instead.

Now speaking with THR, Ethan confirms my original scoop, he’s waiting for Joel to complete whatever project he’s got going, and then the duo will be able to shoot their next collaboration:

Oh yeah. I assume we will [reunite]. We’ve written something. My god, it’s at least a year ago now we wrote something to do together. And we have an old thing that we’ve written. And maybe we’ll write something new. But Joel is about to start something, so we kind of got out of sync. But yeah, the answer is yes. We just have to sort of get in sync again, when that happens.

Joel previously went solo with “The Tragedy of Macbeth” in 2021, which raised eyebrows due to Ethan’s absence. The brothers had been inseparable collaborators since their 1984 debut, “Blood Simple,” never missing a project together.

Ethan, meanwhile, released “Drive-Away Dolls” last year — a lesbian road trip comedy that received mixed reactions. He has already completed his next film, “Honey Don’t,” a detective noir featuring Aubrey Plaza, Margaret Qualley, and Chris Evans, that will premiere at Cannes on May 23.

The duo last worked together on the 2018 Netflix anthology “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” Their body of work places them among America’s most celebrated filmmakers, with classics like “Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Raising Arizona,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Barton Fink,” and “Miller’s Crossing” to their credit.