by: Jay Carlson – Editor-in-Chief

We can all agree on a few things. The sky is blue, Cotton Candy Grapes are legitimate food sorcery (seriously, check them out. I’m OBSESSED), and John Turturro’s Jesus Quintana stole every scene that he appeared in in the Coen Brothers 1998 cult masterpiece The Big Lebowski. This really says something when you stop to consider that he was acting against Steve Buscemi, Jeff Bridges and John Goodman who were all putting in all-time great performances.

Over the years the idea of a spinoff starring “The Jesus” had been teased and kicked around, but you always had a feeling that the Coen’s liked the idea more in theory than actually stepping in and directing the film, telling MTV in 2009:

“We don’t see it yet,” Ethan said.

“That movie has more of an enduring fascination for other people than it does for us,” Joel added.

Turturro himself has always been VERY vocal in his desire to make a spinoff starring the scene stealing pederast though, with the Coens noting in that same interview:

“Oh, he serious. He’s on board,” Ethan said.

“He’s very serious,” Joel added.

Ethan does go as far as saying that “It could happen.”

That was 2009, flash forward seven years and John Turturro is currently in New York directing and starring in an adaptation of the 1974 French film Going Places (Les Valseuses) which follows “a trio of misfits whose irreverent, sexually charged dynamic evolves into a love story as their spontaneous and flippant attitude backfires time and again. When they make enemies with a gun-toting hairdresser, their journey becomes one of constant escape.”

Sounds like a fun premise, but what wasn’t known (until BirthMoviesDeath clued everyone in) is the fact that Turturro is dusting off our favorite amateur (but VERY serious) bowler from The Big Lebowski, Jesus Quintana, for his film. Yeah, let that sink in. We are getting more of The Jesus. Finally.

Joining Turturro is Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou and Susan Sarandon. BMD report that “Turturro’s Jesus and Cannavale’s Petey, compete to give a woman (Tautou) her first orgasm after she’s roped into their hijinks. Sarandon also ends up in their company, playing a criminal who just got out after a long stint in prison.”

For the record I’d be much happier to see a Lebowski spinoff written and directed by the Coens, but I have to imagine the project has their blessing. Turturro is a pretty good filmmaker in his own right, (check out Fading Gigolo) so at least it’s being helmed by the second best guy. Hopefully Turturro’s enthusiastic affection for the character translates to a great film.

What’s The Jesus been up? Did he make it past the semis without having to take Walter’s piece away from him? There’s no word on if he’s kept up his game, but BMD say they do know that “his off-beat hair choices and proclivity for purple both remain firmly intact.”

Thank heavens for little miracles. At least he’s moved on from eight year olds.