Jeff Bridges to Show his True Grit for Coens Remake

I love Westerns, but unfortunately Hollywood just doesn’t make a lot of those anymore. Sure, they dabble in the occasional “3:10 to Yuma” or “Appaloosa”, but I want more, dammit! Usually I have to go to the cable networks for my daily Western fix, and the products are always, well, let’s put it this way, I’ve seen the exact same “ranch” set be re-used in at least a half dozen Western films that premiered on the cable nets. So yeah, it’ll be nice to have another Hollywood Western. The Coens must be reading my dream diary again, because they’re set to remake “True Grit”, and none other than Jeff Bridges may star.

According to Variety, Bridges is currently in negotiations to reunite with the Coens (the threesome worked together on “The Big Lebowski”) to play the lead in their remake of the classic John Wayne Western “True Grit”. I’m going to guess that this is a done deal, since I don’t see Bridges turning down the chance to reunite with the Coens. Also, this is a great role, and I just don’t see Bridges turning it down for any reason.

Bridges would play the role of an aging, hard drinking U.S. Marshal name Rooster Cogburn, who along with a 14-year old girl and a Texas Ranger, must track down her father’s killer. The 1969 original was told from Cogburn’s point of view, but the Coens’ version will tell the tale from the girl’s perspective. John Wayne originally played Cogburn in the 1969 version (winning an Oscar for the role) and later reprised the character in a 1975 sequel, “Rooster Cogburn”.

Joel and Ethan Coen will write and direct the film for Paramount.

A drink a day keeps the bad man away. Plus, my rifle.