Coen brothers' unrealized projects explained

The following is a list of unproduced Coen brothers projects in roughly chronological order. During their long careers, American filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen have worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under their direction. Some of these productions fell in development hell or were cancelled.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

1980s

Suburbicon

See main article: article and Suburbicon. In 1986, the Coen brothers wrote the script Suburbicon, and had intended on directing the film themselves, but it was put aside and shelved in favor of other projects at the time. Later, in the 2000s, they sought out the script from Warner Bros., who owned the rights, and rewrote it with a contemporary setting and with George Clooney in mind to star. Clooney ultimately directed Suburbicon himself, with a script rewritten by Grant Heslov to take place in 1957.[6]

1990s

Cuba Libre

In July 1997, the Coens agreed to adapt Elmore Leonard's next novel Cuba Libre, for Universal Pictures, however the two made no official commitment to direct at the time.[7]

To the White Sea

That same month, it was reported that the Coens had considered adapting James Dickey's To the White Sea at Universal for Brad Pitt.[7] In August 2000, Pitt officially signed on to star in the film.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] They were due to start production in 2002, with Jeremy Thomas producing, but it was cancelled when the Coens felt that the budget offered was not enough to successfully produce the film.[13] The Houston Chronicle reported that "no studio would fund the film."[14] In August 2015, it was announced that Warner Bros. acquired the film rights to the book and that their screenplay was scrapped and that another writer and/or director would replace them.[15] [16] [17]

LaBrava

In March 1998, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Coen brothers had written an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1983 novel LaBrava, also for Universal.[18]

The Contemplations

In an April 1998 interview with Alex Simon for Venice magazine, the Coens discussed a project called The Contemplations, which was to have been an anthology of short films based on stories in a leather bound book from a "dusty old library".[19] This project may have influenced or evolved into The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), which has the same structure.[1] [2] [4]

2000s

62 Skidoo

It was reported in 2004[20] that the Coen brothers were to make a Cold War-related comedy film project titled 62 Skidoo.[21] Nicolas Cage was attached to the project.[22]

The Yiddish Policemen's Union

In 2008, it was announced that the Coen brothers were to write and direct a film adaptation of Michael Chabon's novel The Yiddish Policemen's Union for Columbia Pictures.[23] [24] [25] Scott Rudin, who collaborated with the brothers in No Country for Old Men (2007), was to have served as producer.[26] [27] When asked about the status of the project in 2015, Chabon confirmed: "Nothing. The Coen brothers wrote a draft of the script and then they seemed to move on. The rights have lapsed back to me."[28]

Old Fink

In 2009, the Coens stated that they were interested in making a sequel to their film Barton Fink (1991) called Old Fink, which would take place in the 1960s, around the same time period as A Serious Man (2009). The Coens also stated they had talks with John Turturro in reprising his role as Fink, but that they were waiting "until he was actually old enough to play the part".[29] [30] [31]

2010s

Harve Karbo TV series

In 2011, the Coens were working on a television project, called Harve Karbo, about a quirky Los Angeles private eye, for Imagine Television.[32] [33]

Untitled musical comedy

In September 2013, the Coens stated in an interview that they were working on a new musical comedy centered around an opera singer, though they said it is "not a musical per se".[34]

Untitled sword-and-sandal epic

In an interview conducted with the Coen brothers in December 2013, the two expressed their involvement in a sprawling sword-and-sandal epic set in ancient Rome.[35]

Black Money

In August 2015, it was announced that Warner Bros. had optioned the film rights to Ross Macdonald's novel Black Money for the Coen brothers to potentially write and direct.[36] [37] [38] [39]

The Zebra-Striped Hearse

The Coens have written an as-yet-unproduced screenplay based on the Ross Macdonald mystery novel The Zebra-Striped Hearse, for producer Joel Silver. Silver first spoke of the project in May 2016.[6]

Dark Web

It was reported in October 2016 that the Coens would work on the screenplay for Fox titled Dark Web, based on Joshuah Bearman's two-part Wired article about Ross Ulbricht and his illicit Silk Road online marketplace. The project originated in 2013, with novelist Dennis Lehane on board for the screenplay. Chernin Entertainment would produce.[40] [41]

Scarface remake

On February 10, 2017, it was announced that the Scarface remake's script was being written by the Coens.[42] Luca Guadagnino announced plans to direct the film.[43]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wakeman. Gregory. 6 Coen Brothers Projects We Still Hope Make It To Cinemas. October 16, 2015. CinemaBlend. November 14, 2023.
  2. Web site: Dee. Jake. 10 Unmade Coen Brothers Movies We're Still Hoping For. November 14, 2020. Screen Rant. November 14, 2023.
  3. Web site: Ward. Steven. 6 Canceled Coen Brothers Projects We Wish We Could've Seen. December 20, 2021. Slash Film. November 14, 2023.
  4. Web site: Simpson. Joe. Every Unmade Coen Brothers Movie (& Why They Didn't Happen). September 4, 2020. Screen Rant. November 14, 2023.
  5. Web site: Swapnil Dhurv Bose. Exploring five promising cancelled projects by the Coen brothers. September 24, 2022. Far Out. November 14, 2023.
  6. Web site: Radish. Christina. Joel Silver on The Nice Guys, Joss Whedon's Wonder Woman. Collider. May 20, 2016. November 19, 2023.
  7. Variety Staff. Coens take 'Cuba Libre' order. Variety. July 9, 1997. September 23, 2023.
  8. News: We've killed a lot of animals. The Guardian . London. John. Patterson. February 28, 2011. December 21, 2007.
  9. Web site: Brake. Scott. Brad Pitt To Take A Swim In Coen Brothers' White Sea. August 15, 2000. IGN. November 14, 2023.
  10. Web site: ABC News. Pitt to Parachute for Coen Bros.. August 16, 2000. ABC News. November 14, 2023.
  11. Web site: Cotter. Padraig. The Coen Brothers Unmade To The White Sea Could Have Been Another Classic. February 22, 2020. Screen Rant. November 14, 2023.
  12. Web site: Disturbed takes a look at the Coen Bros Draft of TO THE WHITE SEA!. September 23, 2000. Ain't It Cool News. November 14, 2023.
  13. Web site: Hutchinson. Sean. 15 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Intolerable Cruelty. April 15, 2015. Mental Floss. November 14, 2023.
  14. News: World War II film lost in translation for Coen brothers. March 22, 2004. Houston Chronicle. November 14, 2023.
  15. Web site: Jagernauth. Kevin. Former Coen Brothers Project 'To The White Sea' Moves On Without Them. August 25, 2015. IndieWire. November 14, 2023.
  16. Web site: Fischer. Russ. 'To The White' Sea Back In Development, Without The Coen Brothers. August 24, 2015. Slash Film. November 14, 2023.
  17. Kit. Borys. Warner Bros., Roy Lee to Adapt World War II Tale 'To the White Sea' (Exclusive). August 24, 2015. The Hollywood Reporter. November 14, 2023.
  18. News: Gritten. David. The Coen Mystique. Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1998. September 23, 2023.
  19. Simon. Alex. Alex Simon. Brother's Keepers. Venice Magazine. April 1998.
  20. News: Joel Coen: The plan that wasn't there. June 18, 2004. The Independent. November 14, 2023.
  21. Techler. Graham. Five Ways Your Amazing Movie Does Not Get Made. January 22, 2017. Paste. November 14, 2023.
  22. Book: Schonfeld, Zach. How Coppola Became Cage. 2023. Oxford University Press, Incorporated. 9780197556375. page 157
  23. Fleming. Michael. Coens speak 'Yiddish' for Columbia. February 11, 2008. Variety. November 15, 2023.
  24. Web site: Reynolds. Simon. Coens to direct 'Yiddish Policemen's Union'. February 12, 2008. Digital Spy. November 15, 2023.
  25. Web site: Gorman. Steve. Chabon's 'Yiddish Policemen' headed for big screen. February 12, 2008. Reuters. November 15, 2023.
  26. Coen brothers adapting Chabon's Yiddish. February 13, 2008. Entertainment Weekly. November 15, 2023.
  27. Web site: Coen brothers to adapt Chabon book. February 12, 2008. United Press International. November 15, 2023.
  28. Book: Costello, Brannon. Conversations with Michael Chabon. 2015. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 9781626746695.
  29. News: Adam . Rosenberg . EXCLUSIVE: Coen Brothers Want John Turturro To Get Old For 'Barton Fink' Sequel, 'Old Fink' . https://web.archive.org/web/20090924202630/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/09/21/coen-brothers-want-john-turturro-to-get-old-for-barton-fink-sequel-old-fink . dead . September 24, 2009 . . September 21, 2009 . September 21, 2009.
  30. Setoodeh. Ramin. The Coen Brothers Will Never Make a Sequel to 'The Big Lebowski'. February 3, 2016. Variety. November 15, 2023.
  31. Web site: Jagernauth. Kevin. Coen Brothers Talk 'Barton Fink' Sequel 'Old Fink' And #OscarsSoWhite Controversy. February 4, 2016. IndieWire. November 15, 2023.
  32. Golberg. Lesley. Fox, Coen Brothers Team for Comedy Project. October 4, 2011. The Hollywood Reporter. November 15, 2023.
  33. Web site: Bettinger. Brendan. The Coen Brothers to Produce Private Eye Comedy Series HARVEKARBO at Fox with Phil Johnston. October 5, 2011. Collider. November 15, 2023.
  34. Web site: The Coen Brothers are Writing a Film About an Opera Singer. /Film. September 3, 2013.
  35. Web site: Coyle. Jake. The Coens abide: Joel & Ethan on refusing maturity. Yahoo! News. December 2, 2013. November 18, 2023.
  36. Web site: Fleming. Mike Jr.. Joel And Ethan Coen To Adapt & Direct Ross MacDonald Novel 'Black Money' For Warner Bros. August 15, 2015. Deadline Hollywood. November 15, 2023.
  37. Kroll. Justin. Joel and Ethan Coen to Write, May Direct Adaptation of Crime Novel 'Black Money'. August 5, 2015. Variety. November 15, 2023.
  38. Ford. Rebecca. Coen Brothers to Write and Direct Adaptation of 'Black Money' for Warner Bros.. August 5, 2015. The Hollywood Reporter. November 15, 2023.
  39. Web site: Davis. Edward. Coen Brothers To Adapt, Possibly Direct Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer Crime Novel 'Black Money'. August 5, 2015. IndieWire. November 15, 2023.
  40. Siegel. Tatiana. Coen Brothers to Write Internet Thriller 'Dark Web' for Fox (Exclusive). October 14, 2016. The Hollywood Reporter. November 15, 2023.
  41. Web site: Calvario. Liz. The Coen Brothers to Pen Illegal Drug Market Thriller 'Dark Web'. October 14, 2016. IndieWire. November 15, 2023.
  42. Web site: Scarface Remake Gets Coen Brothers Script, Release Date . February 10, 2017 . February 10, 2017.
  43. News: Lattanzio . Ryan. Luca Guadagnino to Direct New 'Scarface' Film Scripted by the Coen Brothers . . May 14, 2020 . June 1, 2020.

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