Movies - TV
The Coen Brothers Movies You Didn't Realize Were Part of a Trilogy
By LEX BRISCUSO
While Joel and Ethan Coen have denied the theory that their characters are all a part of the same universe, they did confirm that four of their films were part of a special trilogy called the Numbskull Trilogy. The four movies are 2000's "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", 2003's "Intolerable Cruelty," 2008's "Burn After Reading," and 2016's "Hail Caesar!"
One thing these four films have in common is that George Clooney is always playing one of the numbskulls. In a 2016 interview, Ethan explained the origin of the trilogy: “I just want to point out that only a Numbskull Trilogy could have four parts. When did we start talking about the Numbskull Trilogy? [...] Maybe it was the second one we did with George?”
Joel also noted that on the last day of "Burn After Reading," Clooney actually told them that he had “played his last idiot,” only to end up returning for “Hail Caesar!” It’s fortunate that he did because while Clooney is primarily known for his looks and charisma, it can be argued that the comedic acting he got to showcase in these Coen Brothers’ movies is some of his best work.