Ethan Coen has directed his follow-up to “Drive-Away Dolls.” The upcoming film, titled “Honey Don’t,” is the second installment in a planned trilogy of lesbian-themed B-movies that Coen is co-writing and co-directing with his partner and wife, Tricia Cooke.
We now have our first trailer via Focus. The film will have its world premiere at Cannes, where it will screen inside the fest’s Midnight Section on the last day of the fest. The film will release in theaters on August 22.
“Honey Don’t” features a notable cast including Aubrey Plaza, Margaret Qualley, and Chris Evans. Qualley plays a private investigator who finds herself entangled with a cult based in Bakersfield, California, led by Evans’ magnetic leader. Evans portrays the religious leader. Plaza takes on the role of a pivotal “mystery woman.”
While “Drive-Away Dolls” received mixed reviews, it offered a wild ride filled with exaggerated sex, violence, and comedy — a campy, fast-paced homage to retro B-movies and quirky road trip flicks, clocking in at just 84 minutes.
“Drive-Away Dolls” marked Ethans first narrative film made without his brother Joel, who had previously ventured into solo directing with 2021’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” Though there were signature Coen-style touches in Dolls, the film leaned more into absurdity and straightforward humor than what fans might expect from the brothers’ earlier collaborations.
There’s hope that once “Honey Don’t” gets released, Ethan might reunite with Joel for a new project — one he’s hinted will be a “very bloody horror film.” However, word is that Joel is planning to shoot his own solo movie later this year.
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.