The Big Surprise - 'The Dude' Will Become 'The Duke'
Film geeks everywhere rejoiced last week at the news that Jeff Bridges and the Coen brothers join forces once again. The last time they collaborated was on the 1997 cult classic "The Big Lebowski." This time, it's for a remake of the 1969 John Wayne western "True Grit." Bridges will play Rooster Cogburn, the role that earned the Duke his only Oscar award.
Joel and Ethan Coen's version will reportedly hew closer to the original Charles Portis novel, which seems to be more in line with the Coens' sensibilities than the bittersweet machismo of the Wayne movie. The story follows a 14-year-old girl's single-minded quest for vengeance and the grizzled one-eyed US Marshall that she hires to help her.
Both the Coens and Bridges are premiering their latest films at the Toronto Film Festival this week. The Coens are earning raves for their dark comedy "A Serious Man," while Bridges is getting laughs as a vaguely Dude-like guru in "The Men Who Stare at Goats." Their new version of "True Grit" is slated for release some time in 2011.