COENS' 'BURN AFTER READING' TO OPEN WIDE ON SEPTEMBER 12 (VAR, SCR)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Vialatte

Hot off their �No Country for Old Men� Oscars, the Coen brothers latest effort, �Burn After Reading,� will open in wide release on September 12. Variety notes that Focus Features and Working Title have decided to go wide thanks to the film's comedic appeal and cast.

The dark spy-comedy stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton, who recently picked up an Oscar for her turn opposite Clooney in "Michael Clayton."

The announcement comes one week after the brothers picked up the Academy Awards for for picture, director, adapted screenplay and supporting actor.

The Coens wrote, directed and produced "Burn," which revolves around an ousted CIA official whose memoir inadvertently falls into the hands of two bumbling Washington, DC, gym employees.

Most of the Coens� films have been treated as specialty films in terms of their platform release patterns. The exceptions, notes Variety, include Tom Hanks-starrer "The Lady Killers"; "Intolerable Cruelty," starring Clooney opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones; and "The Big Lebowski."

"Everyone feels ('Burn After Reading') has the capability to play wide at that September playtime," said Focus president of distribution Jack Foley.

"Burn" will face Paramount Vantage's Keira Knightley-Ralph Fiennes-starrer "The Duchess" on September 12, although it will bow in a limited run.

Set to open wide alongside "Burn" are Jon Avnet's Robert De Niro-Al Pacino starrer "Righteous Kill," from Overture Films, and Lionsgate's "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys Together."

However, the dating gives the film prime positioning for premieres at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, notes Screen.

"No Country for Old Men" is the Coen brothers' most successful film at the domestic box office, grossing $69.7 million through Sunday, according to Rentrak.