No, of course Burn After Reading isn’t a sequel to Michael Clayton, but the shot above, of Clooney (as a CIA bagman) in bed with Tilda Swinton (as the wife of John Malkovich) looks enough like the WTF alternate ending to Tony Gilroy’s movie that I couldn’t resist. Equally fantastic are a couple other shots that First Showing put up last week, both of which are below. As thoroughly amazing as No Country For Old Men was, I can’t say I’m less than giddy at the suggestion, fostered by the shots of Pitt and Malkovich, that this might be a step back into the Brothers’ quirky comedic voice.
But what’s really giving me a laugh right now is that a couple sites, including First Showing, are suggesting that Burn After Reading is only a tentative title. It’s a game of telephone, really. First Showing includes a note about the ‘tentatively titled’ film seemingly based on this Yahoo Movies source article, which in turn is sourced from Reuters, which syndicates content from The Hollywood Reporter. Last week THR noted that the film, a Working Title production, would open the Venice Film Festival. That’s Working Title, the production company. Seems that Yahoo turned THR’s “”Burn After Reading” is a Working Title production, produced, written, and directed by the Coen brothers” into “The film, whose working title is “Burn After Reading“, and sites sourcing from them took it from there. A couple quick checks indicate that the title isn’t changing, though any real info to the contrary is welcome.
Burn After Reading opens Venice on August 27, and arrives in North America on September 12.
