Coen Brothers set to adapt and potentially direct noir novel Black Money

Looks like Joel Coen and Ethan Coen are returning to their noir roots and adding to their filmography of detective stories with BLACK MONEY. Deadline reports that the Coens are scripting the adaptation of Ross MacDonald's novel and could potentially direct it as well. In between directing INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS and the upcoming HAIL CAESAR!, the Coens wrote the screenplays for Angelina Jolie's UNBROKEN and Steven Spielberg's upcoming BRIDGE OF SPIES.

BLACK MONEY has been making it's way to the big screen for decades and finally found a home at Warner Bros. The film will be produced by Joel Silver. Here's a synopsis of the 1966 book.

The novel focuses on MacDonald’s private eye protagonist Lew Archer. Hired by a spurned lover to expose the suave Frenchman who has run off with his client’s girlfriend, Archer follows a trail that leads to a deep conspiracy as the mysterious paramour is connected to a seven-year-old suicide and a ton of gambling debts.

Even if the Coens do not end up helming BLACK MONEY, they have a long history with noir and detective stories. Whether it be comedic takes like FARGO, BARTON FINK, or THE BIG LEBOWSKI or dramatic films like BLOOD SIMPLE, MILLERS CROSSING, or NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, the Coens have elements of hard-boiled and pulp fiction across their resume. BLACK MONEY sounds like it could make for a great period set film or even a nice contemporary update. Whatever their choice, I trust the Coens will make this one heck of a mystery.