A couple days before their latest film, Burn After Reading premiered in theaters, the Coen Brothers sat down with USA Today to discuss the comedy. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Where did this plot come from?
Joel: We started with the cast, thinking about parts. We thought about what would be fun to see from these various actors, some of whom we worked with before, some of whom we hadn't. What would be fun to see them play? We just thought, for want of a better description, a spy story. It's not really a spy story. It became something else.

Burn After Reading has been described as silly. But there is a serious futility in each character's obsession.
Ethan: It's pretty bleak. I watched a football game last night, and it was the first time I'd seen a commercial for it, since I don't watch much TV. I thought, "Hmm, it looks like a comedy."

Brad Pitt stars as a personal trainer in Burn After Reading.

Despite ceding the headlines in Burn After Reading to co-stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney, John Malkovich plays a signifiant role in the latest movies from The Coen Brothers.

The actor recently talked about it with ComingSoon.net:

ComingSoon.net: I understand the Coens wrote this part with you in mind. Had you met them before or had they just seen some of your other work?
John Malkovich: I met them at dinner years ago out in California, but I didn't know them. I think it was just mostly from things they saw that I did, maybe on stage I imagine because they live in New York, and they may have seen things I did on stage.

John Malkovich plays CIA agent Osborne Cox in Burn After Reading.

CS: Is it flattering to have them write a character like this for you, a sympathetic character but one with a seriously bad temper?
Malkovich: I didn't think much about them writing it for me because I wouldn't really know what kind of character you'd write for me. I've done so many different kinds, I don't really know what you'd pick out. I had always wanted to work with them and I liked this character and I thought the script was funny and good.

Are you as anxious to see Burn After Reading as we are?

Here are snippets of an interview Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen gave to MoviesOnline at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this week.

Q: Tilda, it seems that after Michael Clayton, this is a continuation of you and George Clooney's mutual admiration society. Is it official that you are going to do two or three more movies together? Also, for Brad, you and George seem to have…
Brad Pitt: (interrupting) The same mutual admiration society.

Q: …for a long time, but you also have a real life one with Angelina Jolie. Are you two going to work together again?
Tilda Swinton: I'm working on having George Clooney in every contract. It's tough but I'm trying. I've gotten the consolation prize of having Brad Pitt in every contract also. George and I do have the aim one day to be in a film where we say one nice thing to each other. Hopefully one day.
Brad Pitt: I'm working on stealing Tilda away from George. We have something coming out in the fall. Angie and I are working together every day, I guarantee you.

Continue Reading...

As discussed in our Burn After Reading review, the latest film from the Coen Brothers is pure fun.

Check out the expressions on the face of multiple characters in the following new poster for the movie and you'll see what we mean:

Burn After Reading might not be the most fun you have at the movies this year, but it'll be awfully close!

Taking a break from the serious, albeit Oscar winning, tone of their previous film - No Country for Old Men - the Coen Brothers place actors such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt in roles with which they can just riff.

The plot may require a few convenient devices in order to move along, but who cares? No one on screen is taking anything too seriously. You shouldn't be, either.

Read our full Burn After Reading review now!

Here's a movie poster for Burn After Reading, one of the most anticipated films from the fall of 2008.

It's directed by the Coen Brothers and is their follow-up to the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men. The flick also stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney. In other words:

We'll see you at the theater on September 12, right?

ReelzChannel.com recently spoke with Richard Jenkins (best known as the dad from Six Feet Under). The little-known actor stars alongside Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich in Burn After Reading.

The movie was written and directed by Joel and Ethan Cohen.

"This is the description, the Coen brothers' description of my character," Jenkins said. "I play, it says 'Ted Treffon, the soulful manager of Hardbodies Gym.' "It was a terrific script. I haven't seen the film yet, but it was fun."

Burn After Reading comes out on September 12. Check out its trailer now.

Want a winning formula for box office success?

Take one part Brad Pitt, mix it with a dollop of George Clooney and ask the Oscar-winning directors of No Country for Old Men to helm the project.

You're left with Burn After Reading, which comes out on September 12. Check out the trailer for it now:

Here's a look at the next movie from Joel and Ethan Coen. In their follow-up to No Country for Old Men, the brothers have finished Burn After Reading, a dark spy comedy.

According to IMDB, John Malkovich stars as a CIA official in the flick. His memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two unwise gym employees intent on exploiting their find (Brad Pitt and George Clooney).

Burn After Reading is expected to hit theaters later this year; until then here are a couple of set photos to tide you over.