The new trend is Hollywood is to surprise audiences with sequels that we didn't know were supposed to be sequels. The Woods, for example, becomes a Blair Witch sequel in the making, and 10 Cloverfield Lane adopts connections to the Cloverfield universe. In a similar fashion, we're now learning that a movie titled Going Places -- which already has begin filming -- might be a long-awaited and often discussed spinoff to The Big Lebowski, starring John Turturro as his bowling fiend Jesus Quintana.
Sources close to the production of Going Places have revealed to the Web site Birth Movies Death that the film -- which is a remake of a French sex farce -- is actually going to be a Jesus Quintana movie. They have been told that the film, which has been in production for about two weeks, will star Turturro and Bobby Cannavale as petty thieves who engage in a competition to give a woman (Audrey Tautou) her first orgasm. Please tell me that Jesus will use his magical tongue for that process.
Here's where things get strange. This isn't a true The Big Lebowski spinoff, as Joel and Ethan Coen are not behind the movie in any creative sense. Going Places, according to BMD, doesn't even have proper distribution. And while John Turturro has teased a Jesus Quintana movie over the years -- swearing that he has discussed this with the Coens before -- the fact that this is happening under the radar gives us pause. This character, back in the hands of Joel and Ethan, would have us very excited. In someone else's hands? Even with Turturro in the role, I'm not sure what to expect. Will it ever touch this? How could it?
There's one way to get us very excited for Going Places. Tell us that it could have a walk-on by The Dude himself. Jeff Bridges wholeheartedly embraces his role as The Dude, and if there were an opportunity for him to bring the character back to the big screen, I think he'd jump on it. Could you really do a Big Lebowski spinoff movie without The Dude showing up, even in a glorified cameo? I think not. But that's just, like, my opinion, man.
For now, Going Places reportedly stars Turtorro, Cannavale, Tautou and Susan Sarandon. It doesn't have a release date, and no director but a screenplay by Turturro. We'll keep you posted on details as they emerge, but for now, are you interested in a Jesus Quintana movie?
