While Joel is currently shooting “Jack of Spades” in the UK, “Honey Don’t,” Ethan Coen’s second solo effort following “Drive-Away Dolls,” has crashed and burned with critics.
You know your movie is in trouble when it can’t even go fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where “Honey Don’t” sits at a dismal 49% rotten. Even worse, Ethan is now threatening us with a third film to complete the trilogy, titled “Go Beavers!”
Yes, “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. The big question now: will he even be able to secure funding for the third film?
“Honey Don’t,” currently playing in 1,500 U.S. theaters, is eyeing a $3M opening weekend. Industry estimates suggest a budget of approximately $20M. By comparison, “Drive-Away Dolls,” also met with very mixed reviews, grossed $8M worldwide on a $15M budget.
The cast of “Honey Don’t” is notable, including Aubrey Plaza, Margaret Qualley, and Chris Evans. Qualley plays a private investigator who becomes entangled with a cult based in Bakersfield, California, led by Evans’ magnetic leader. Evans portrays the cult’s charismatic religious leader, while Plaza takes on the role of a pivotal “mystery woman.”
“Drive-Away Dolls” marked Ethan’s first narrative feature without his brother Joel, who had previously ventured into solo directing with 2021’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” While both ‘Dolls’ and ‘Honey Don’t’ bear signature Coen-style touches, the films have clearly failed to resonate.
With Joel planning another solo project, set to shoot this summer in Scotland, it looks like we’re probably a year or two away from the brothers reuniting for their rumored horror film.