Joel Coen

Michael Stuhlbarg is about to become A Serious Man for Joel and Ethan Coen. The brothers have penned a new movie and he's going to be their star. Mr. Stuhlbarg has been a fixture on New York theater stages, receiving a Tony nomination for his role in The Pillowman and recently starring as Hamlet for the Public's Shakespeare in the Park production this year. He's had some bit parts on Law & Order (like every New York actor), but now he'll get the chance to work on the big screen with the Coen brothers on their new dark comedy.

Fittingly, he'll play the title role as Larry Gopnik, a professor in the Midwest whose wife leaves him and his socially awkward brother (played by another prime casting choice, Richard Kind) won't move out of his house.  read more »

The Coen brothers' follow-up to No Country for Old Men is headed to the City of Water this summer, according to the Associated Press. Their film, the spy comedy Burn After Reading starring George Clooney, John Malkovich and Brad Pitt, will open this year's Venice Film Festival on Aug. 27. Not ready to book your plane tickets yet? How about some more details about the script. Mr. Pitt is sporting a wacky flat-top hairdo for his role as a goofball personal trainer who finds a manuscript written by Mr. Malkovich's character, an alcoholic former CIA agent. The gym buffster plans to profit from the memoir and Mr. Clooney plays a supporting role as a Treasury agent who gets caught up in the whole affair.

The Coen Brothers join Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron and Billy Wilder in the list of directors that have received three awards for a single film at the Oscars. Their brooding, bloody tale of violence No Country for Old Men won best picture, director and adapted screenplay. Javier Bardem also won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role as Anton Chigurh in No Country. Full list of winners after the jump.  read more »