The Yid Lebowski?

Michael Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union is set to become a movie. Written and directed by the Coen brothers.

Holy shit. That’s awesome.

From an article on Variety online:

Columbia Pictures has acquired screen rights to the bestselling Michael Chabon novel The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, with the Coens writing, directing and producing with Rudin.

Chabon sets up a contemporary scenario where Jewish settlers are about to be displaced by U.S. government’s plans to turn the frozen locale of Sitka, Alaska, over to Alaskan natives. Against this backdrop is a noir-style murder mystery in which a rogue cop investigates the killing of a heroin-addicted chess prodigy who might be the messiah.

The Coens will turn their attention to the book after they shoot A Serious Man for Working Title and Focus.

As a big fan of both the Coens’ movies and Chabon’s work, I’m pretty excited for this. No, more than pretty excited – I’m incredibly excited.

Here’s the weird thing: I made this match last night, way before I ever heard of the Chabon/Coen partnership. I’m currently in the middle of The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, and while reading last night I though to myself, “This is a fantastic story – I wonder how easily it could be made into a movie?”

I instantly thought of the Coen brothers. Looks like I was right.

The bigger question remains, “When will The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay movie finally show it’s face?” (The scary probable answer: “It probably won’t. Thanks, Hollywood bureaucracy!”)