It’s official.
The Coen Brothers are back in the Land of Enchantment.
The New Mexico Film Office confirmed on Wednesday that the feature-length series of Westerns, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” will film largely in the Santa Fe area.
The production is produced by Annapurna Pictures and the Oscar-winning Coen Brothers are directing.
“To have filmmakers with the distinction of the Coen Brothers return for a third time is a testament to the quality of our crews, our support services, our infrastructure, our communities and our significant work to let filmmakers know they’re welcome in New Mexico,” said Nick Maniatis, New Mexico Film Office director.
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is a feature-length omnibus consisting of six separate stories, all Westerns.
The first of the six is about a singing cowboy and is the title story.
The second, “Near Algodones,” is about a high-plains drifter whose own fecklessness dogs his attempts at bank robbery and cattle driving.
The third, “Meal Ticket,” follows an actor and impresario of a traveling show.
The fourth, “All Gold Canyon,” is about a prospector who happily finds a gold seam but then unhappily finds an evil encroacher.
The fifth, “The Gal Who Got Rattled,” follows two trail bosses on the Oregon Trail and a woman on the wagon train who needs the help of one of them and who might be a marriage prospect for the other.
Lastly, “The Mortal Remains,” about the five very different passengers on a stagecoach of mysterious destination.
According the film office, principal photography will take place mid-July through the end of September.
The production will employ approximately 188 New Mexico crew members, 16 New Mexico actors and 800 New Mexico background talent, the film office said in a release.
The Coen Brothers return to New Mexico after filming the films, “True Grit” and “No Country for Old Men.”
