For fans of the 1998 Coen brothers cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” their wish to see more of John Turturro‘s bowling ball-licking sex offender character is finally coming true.
The actor has begun filming a “Lebowski” spinoff titled “Going Places” that continues the story of his famous trash-talking bowler Jesus Quintana. The news was announced officially by indie finance and production company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment president John Penotti on Thursday.
Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Susan Sarandon and Sonia Braga also star in the film with Turturro directing from his own script adaptation.
The premise of “Going Places” is inspired by French filmmaker Bertrand Blier’s 1974 “Les Valseuses.” It revolves around a three smalltime crooks and is being billed as an irreverent, sexually charged comedy. The tale evolves into a surprising love story as some of the characters’ flippant attitudes backfire time and again, and they wind up inadvertently perform good deeds.
After the trio makes enemies with a gun-toting hairdresser, they find themselves fleeing from law and from society and soon their unlikely bond strengthens.
It’s been a longtime wish for Turturro to reprise the role of Jesus, but the actor has indicated in the past that legal matters over the intellectual property have been tricky.
The Coen brothers are not involved in Turturro’s spinoff. The actor is a frequent collaborator with the famous director siblings, dating back to 1990’s “Miller’s Crossing.”
With the cameras already rolling in New York State, director of photography of “Going Places” is Frederick Elmes (“Synecdoche, New York”) and the film’s production designer is Lester Cohen (“The Night Of”).
Sidney Kimmel, Fernando Sulichin (“Snowden”) and Paul-Dominique Vacharasinthu are producing along with SKE’s Penotti and Robert Salerno (“21 Grams”). Bruce Toll (“The Lincoln Lawyer”), Max Arvelaiz (“Snowden”) and Michael Lewis are executive producers. Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, New Element and Tribus P Film are financing the project.
Cornerstone Films is covering international sales and distribution and ICM Partners is handling domestic rights.
Turturro is currently starring in the HBO crime series “The Night Of.” His first appearance as Jesus, opposite Jeff Bridges as “The Dude,” John Goodman and Steve Buscemi in the 1998 movie, amounted to little more than five minutes of screen time.
Birth.Movies.Death. first reported that the “Lebowski” spinoff started filming.
Turturro is represented by ICM Partners.