Coen Brothers to Write & Direct Western Series

[Fallen Angel]

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/the-coen-brothers-the-ballad-of-buster-scruggs-1201941064/

Joel and Ethan Coen are the latest auteurs moving into television, with a new event anthology set in the Old West.


Annapurna Television is partnering with the Coen brothers on a limited series Western called “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs.” Sources tell Variety that Annapurna intends to pursue an innovative approach that could combine television and theatrical.


Joel and Ethan Coen wrote the script from an original idea and will direct the project.


The Coens will produce “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” through their Mike Zoss Productions label. Megan Ellison and Annapurna Television’s president of television, Sue Naegle, will serve as executive producers.
“We are very excited to be working with Megan and Sue on this project,” the Coen brothers said in a statement to Variety.
It’s still unclear how theatrical distribution could play a part in the project, but the intent is to shoot “Buster Scruggs” as a miniseries. According to sources, the scope of the project seemed too challenging to be covered in one feature film.


The idea is similar to Imagine Entertainment’s adaptation of the “The Dark Tower” series. Imagine Partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard had planned to do something over both theatrical and television, but ended up sticking with one feature film, which Sony will release later this year.


Plot details of “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” are unknown, though it will intertwine six different story lines. The brothers are no strangers to the genre, with “True Grit” and “No Country for Old Men” on their resume.

 

[David H.]

Weekly Coen Bros. is too good for words.

 

[Doctor Jones]

 

[Fallen Angel]

I just can't wait to see who they cast. It's going to intertwine six stories. And with it being a mini series by the Coens to boot, you can bet there will be a few A list actors/actresses who will be in it.

 

[David H.]

^ id watch a whole series of Jeff Bridges as an aging western hero.

Hey, maybe Woody will be free from his Star Wars schedule when this starts.

 

[James]

Christmas again? So soon?

 

[Rowsdower!]

This is exciting, though I didn't care for True Grit.

 

[Boom]

This is exciting, though I didn't care for True Grit.

 

[Doctor Jones]

True Grit is one of their weaker films. No Country for Old Men, now that's a proper western.

This is big. If this works, this could open the flood gates for other filmmakers of this caliber to come into television.

 

[James]

I love True Grit, I'd have to disagree with you there Doc.

No Country for Old Men is great, right up until the drowsy speech at the end. Cut that out and it's darn near perfect.

I watched Burn After Reading recently. I remember really disliking it when it first came out, but looking at the film through (arguably) more mature eyes, I really enjoyed it.

The Big Lebowski and Fargo, of course, go without saying. I also enjoyed Bridge of Spies, though they didn't direct.

 

[David H.]

True Grit is fantastic. I think it's deceptively complex and it's a great subversion of the mythical western revenge tale.

My favorite of theirs is Miller's Crossing, though.

 

[Marvolo]

I like True Grit, and No Country for Old Men is a classic so Ill be checking this series out.

 

[The Endless]

I really liked True Grit as well. I love how the Coens take these straight forward stories then put their own quirks in there. They create some incredibly strange and entertaining characters.

For me they are the best directors around. I can enjoy all of their films, even the weaker ones like Ladykillers and Intolerable Cruelty. Then of course they have masterpieces like Raising Arizona, Fargo, O Brother, Big Lebowski, No Country, Inside Llewyn Davis...

I'll watch anything they're involved with.

 

[Boom]

I love True Grit. It's honestly one of my favorite Coen Brothers films.

 

[Rowsdower!]

True Grit is one of their weaker films. No Country for Old Men, now that's a proper western.

This is big. If this works, this could open the flood gates for other filmmakers of this caliber to come into television.

I agree completely.

 

[Boom]

I agree completely.

 

[Fallen Angel]

The Coen Brothers Western TV Series Reportedly Starts Shooting Next Month http://dlvr.it/PPFmqH


Apparently starts' shooting next month, so that would mean we here casting announcements soon.

Also an updated logline for the show.

The stories of six individuals weave together in the old West at the end of the Civil War.

 

[David H.]

I can't wait.

It'll be interesting to see how people measure it up with Fargo.

As much I like Hawley's work and admire how he translated their style, I think this could blow it out of the water.

 

[David H.]

Via The Playlist

‘Scruggs’ isn’t a TV series, but is instead a “feature-length omnibus” that will have six separate narratives contained within.

Here’s how it breaks down:

“The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” follows a singing cowboy.

“Near Algodones” is about a high-plains drifter whose own fecklessness dogs his attempts at bank robbery and cattle driving.

“Meal Ticket” follows an actor and impresario of a traveling show.

“All Gold Canyon” is about a prospector who happily finds a gold seam but then unhappily finds an evil encroacher.

“The Gal Who Got Rattled” follows two trail bosses on the Oregon Trail and a woman on the wagon train who needs the help of one of them and who might be a marriage prospect for the other.

“The Mortal Remains” follows five very different passengers on a stagecoach of mysterious destination.

 

[Fallen Angel]

I saw that article today and its' very interesting how they're going to do this. Rumours are the last story on the stagecoach are the protagonists' from the first 5 stories.

 

[nite-owl]

Tim Blake Nelson set to star as the titular character.

http://www.tracking-board.com/tim-b...coen-brothers-assemble-starry-cast-exclusive/

 

[David H.]

It'll be cool to see Nelson and Root and Coens work together again.

I'm also kind of excited to see the full length version of one of those Hobie Doyle movies from Hail, Caesar!

 

[Fallen Angel]

Not gonna lie but with this being a prestige series with the Coen Bros, I was expecting a better cast.

 

[David H.]

Well, the Coens usually write with specific actors in mind. They usually get the most out of whoever work with anyways, so I'm optimist about, even, Franco, who's phoned it in quite regularly lately.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Has gone to Netflix. http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/coen-brothers-tv-series-netflix-1202520874/

The Coen Brothers’ first television series is heading to Netflix, the streaming giant announced on Wednesday.


As Variety reported exclusively in January, the Coens are working on a Western anthology series titled “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” The series will feature six tales about the American frontier. Each chapter will feature a different story about the American West. The project will star Tim Blake Nelson as Buster.
“The Coens are visionary directors, masterful storytellers, and colorful linguists. We are thrilled for Netflix to become home to the full range of their talents,” said Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix.