Masters of surprise on the big screen, Joel Coen and his brother Ethan Coen announced in January 2017 that they had written and planned to direct The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, described as an "event anthology set in the Old West." After we heard that Netflix had acquired the series. Then we learned that the series would be, instead, a movie.
Now comes the first trailer for the feature-length film. Here's all we know about The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; watch the trailer below.
How did the series transform into a movie?
According to the Coen brothers themselves (per Variety): "We’ve always loved anthology movies, especially those films made in Italy in the Sixties which set side-by-side the work of different directors on a common theme. Having written an anthology of Western stories we attempted to do the same, hoping to enlist the best directors working today. It was our great fortune that they both agreed to participate."
So, it's not clear at what point, exactly, the Coen brothers decided that their stories would work better as one film rather than six episodes of a small-screen series, with themselves (i.e., "the best directors working today") at the helm. We're delighted, nonetheless, that we'll have the opportunity to see their latest work on the big screen.
What's it about?
The film runs 132 minutes and is structured like an anthology, with six chapters. It's described officially as "a series of tales about the American frontier told through the unique and incomparable voice of Joel and Ethan Coen. Each chapter tells a distinct story about the American West."
Who is starring?
As previously announced, Tim Blake Nelson stars as the titular character. The cast includes Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits and Liam Neeson.
Where did it premiere?
The film enjoyed its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, where it received the Best Screenplay award.
Will it still show up on Netflix? What about a theatrical release?
Yes, and yes! The film will launch in select theaters and on Netflix on November 16.
Watch the first trailer below.
