Burn After Reading (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2008)

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#1 Post by **Jeff** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:09 pm

After dancing around a number of ideas, the Coen Brothers have committed to their next project, which starts shooting in just a few months. It's good to see them back in original screenplay territory again, with McDormand back in front of her husband's camera.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Pitt feels the 'Burn' for Coens
By Tatiana Siegel

April 20, 2007

Brad Pitt has signed on to join his "Ocean's Thirteen" co-star George Clooney in the Coen brothers' "Burn After Reading" for Working Title Films.

The black comedy, which also stars Frances McDormand, centers on a CIA agent who loses the disc of the book he is writing. Like the film's title, the screenplay is shrouded in secrecy, and it is unclear what role Pitt will play.

The actor will begin shooting the film in late August.

Joel and Ethan Coen penned the screenplay, and Joel Coen will direct the contemporary project.

Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing alongside the Coens. Focus Features will distribute worldwide.

Pitt, whose "Ocean's Thirteen" will unspool at next month's Festival de Cannes, recently wrapped Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Assassination of Jesse James." The "Babel" star's upcoming films also include Paramount Pictures' "Benjamin Button," which he is finishing in New Orleans.

He is repped by CAA, Brillstein-Grey and attorney Alan Hergott.

Titus · #2 Post by **Titus** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:10 am

Kind of interesting that Pitt's in this -- I'd always figured those rumors about him starring in a pseudo-silent war film the Coens' were doing were some sort of hoax, but perhaps there was some degree of truth to them.

And I agree regarding it being an original script; hopefully this and No Country can wash out the aftertaste of their last two pictures.

#3 Post by **Jeff** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:19 am

Apparently, the Coens are abandoning the great Roger Deakins in favor of the equally great Emmanuel Lubezki on this one. The "handheld verite-style" bit scares me a little.

Antoine Doinel · #4 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:58 pm

John Malkovich has joined the cast.

#5 Post by **Jeff** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:17 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:John Malkovich has joined the cast.

Here is what The Hollywood Reporter says. I'm pleasantly surprised that it sounds like Malkovich is the lead.

John Malkovich is in negotiations to star opposite George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand in the Coen brothers' "Burn After Reading" for Focus Features and Working Title Films.

The dark screwball comedy centers on Ozzie Cox (Malkovich), a former CIA agent who loses the disc of the memoir he is writing. McDormand will play Cox's philandering wife. Clooney is set to play an assassin. Because the screenplay is being kept under wraps, it is unclear what Pitt's character will be.

Jeffrey Welles has read the script, and has the lowdown on the story and Pitt's character.

Antoine Doinel · #6 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:36 pm

Here's a look at Brad Pitt with a bloody nose.

miless · #7 Post by **miless** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:49 pm

Is it true they're shooting this using the RED camera?

exte · #8 Post by **exte** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:16 pm

miless wrote:Is it true they're shooting this using the RED camera?

If so, would that be the first high profile Hollywood film to do so? I can't wait to see the results if that's true, honest to God...

dadaistnun · #9 Post by **dadaistnun** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:25 pm

I think Soderbergh is using it for his Che films, The Argentine and Guerrilla.

#10 Post by **Jeff** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:31 pm

exte wrote:
miless wrote:Is it true they're shooting this using the RED camera?
If so, would that be the first high profile Hollywood film to do so? I can't wait to see the results if that's true, honest to God...

I suppose that depends on whether you consider Soderbergh's Che Guevara diptych "high-profile" or not. There aren't any Pitts or Clooneys any them.

Red keeps a list of the projects that are using their cameras, and for what it's worth, they haven't posted the Coen project yet. Their site could just be out of date of course.

The Coens did make a point of using Lubezki instead Deakins, and are apparently going for a "handheld verite-style" style production, so the RED would make sense.

Antoine Doinel · #11 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:30 pm

New pic.

Antoine Doinel · #12 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:03 pm

The film opens wide September 12th.

Antoine Doinel · #13 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:52 pm

From IMDB:

Italy Is Country For Coen Bros.

The Coen brothers' Burn After Reading has been selected to open this year's Venice Film Festival, festival organizers announced today (Monday). The selection would seem to assure the festival of some glittering stars walking its red carpet on opening night, August 27, since the movie's cast includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton -- not to mention Joel Coen and Ethan Coen themselves, whose film No Country for Old Men won the best picture award at this year's Oscars (and they took home the best director award). The festival's official lineup is expected to be announced in July.

Murdoch · #14 Post by **Murdoch** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:50 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:The film opens wide September 12th.

Awesome, right on my birthday.

Person · #15 Post by **Person** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:00 pm

Clooney as a hitman should prove to be highly enjoyable.

Fletch F. Fletch · #16 Post by **Fletch F. Fletch** » Mon May 05, 2008 4:40 pm

New pics

Cosmic Bus · #17 Post by **Cosmic Bus** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:28 pm

Red-band trailer: standard // HD

Looks thoroughly enjoyable.

Antoine Doinel · #18 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:52 pm

Great cast! Looks like a lot of fun.

#19 Post by **Jeff** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:39 pm

I'm sold. Here's hoping the "funny Coens" are back. It certainly doesn't look like anything Lubezki has ever shot before.

miless · #20 Post by **miless** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:43 pm

but it does have a certain clarity that many of Lubezki's past films have. It probably has to do with his use of Kodak vision stock, which has an amazing look to it.

margot · #21 Post by **margot** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:44 pm

It looks terrible.

#22 Post by **domino harvey** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:51 pm

That trailer wasn't at all what I was expecting, looks like the Coens in their Ladykillers mode.

AWA · #23 Post by **AWA** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:03 am

Looks good. Having read the script in advance, it looks exactly as I pictured it, which is definitely a good sign. The script was great.

Has traces of Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and North by Northwest as well in the whole part of CIA watching events unravel but not doing anything about it to wait to see what happens. It is funny, I'm thinking that Malkovich will be hilarious based on the character he plays in the script - that looks to be captured perfectly. That shot of the gym at the beginning was amazing - nice colour stock.

Tom Hagen · #24 Post by **Tom Hagen** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:14 am

Here's hoping this will be the Lebowski to No Country's Fargo.

Fletch F. Fletch · #25 Post by **Fletch F. Fletch** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:41 am

This looks like it could be really good. I love the bit where Malkovich punched Pitt in the nose. Excellent comic timing. I sure hope it is closer to Lebowski than Ladykillers which was crap.