'Country' time for Coens

Jones, Bardem in talks to star

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Bardem

J. Coen

E. Coen

Joel and Ethan Coen are saddling up to film an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men."

Shooting on the co-production of Miramax and John Lesher's Paramount-based classics division will start this May in New Mexico and Texas.

Scott Rudin is producing with Ethan Coen, who wrote the script with his director brother Joel. Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem are in talks to headline what's expected to be a strong ensemble cast.

Set in West Texas in 1980, story is about a young Vietnam vet who stumbles over the remnants of a drug deal gone bad. He's hunted by two extremely vicious assassins who want the money back.

Deal brings Miramax topper Daniel Battsek and Par's Lesher together again on another gritty period tale. They joined forces last month on the Rudin-exec produced "There Will Be Blood," based on the 1927 Upton Sinclair novel "Oil!" Daniel Day-Lewis is starring as an oil prospector in Southern California, with Paul Thomas Anderson directing.

"No Country for Old Men" will follow the same formula, with the studios co-financing in a 50/50 partnership. Lesher's division will handle domestic distribution, and Battsek's Miramax will control foreign. The connective tissue is Rudin, who acquired the McCarthy book and has been working on it with the Coens since last year. Rudin is transitioning his overall producing deal from Paramount to Disney and Miramax.

Battsek has his own long relationship with the Coens that goes back to their breakthrough film "Blood Simple," which Battsek acquired in the U.K. when he was at Palace Pictures. He also worked on the international releases of Coen films including "The Ladykillers" when Battsek headed Buena Vista Intl.