Even though the Coen Brothers are less enamored with their comedy classic “The Big Lebowski” than its fans, talk about a sequel persists. Last year, the directing duo played down talks of a sequel saying, “We don’t see it yet,” Ethan Coen said, while Joel added, “That movie has more of an enduring fascination for other people than it does for us.”
But with The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, shooting the Coen Brothers adaptation/remake of “True Grit” earlier this year, talk about a sequel was inevitable. Speaking to MTV at Comic-Con the question was raised again, but fans hoping to see the bathrobe-wearing slacker back on the big screen will be disappointed in his answer. “We talked about it occasionally [while making ‘True Grit’], but no plans man, no plans,” Bridges said. “No, no, no, I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
The proposed sequel/spinoff would have focused more on John Turturro’s character, Jesus, with the actor wanting to call the film “100 Minutes Of Jesus.” But even if that project isn’t happening, the Coens do have a sequel idea in mind for their wonderfully surreal “Barton Fink,” titled “Old Fink.” The duo told the basic plotline to MTV last year. “[It’s] another 1967 movie [much like “A Serious Man”]. It’s the summer of love and [Fink is] teaching at Berkeley. He ratted on a lot of his friends to the House of Un-American Activities committee. We told Turturro this is one sequel we’d actually like to make but not until he was actually old enough to play the part,” Joel said. “He’s getting there.”
That actually sounds pretty fascinating and interesting but considering the first film was a bomb and only has a fan base amongst the most hardcore of cinephiles, don’t count on it happening. As for “The Big Lebowski,” we like the film as much as the next person, but it’s not our favorite Coen and it’s not something we ever really need to see a sequel to. Good on the Coens for continuing to pursue projects that interest them instead of taking what probably could be an easy paycheck and cranking out a sequel that won’t have their full passion behind it.
