Coen's get their Mattie Ross for True Grit

Well, it's been sometime now that most movie/Coen brother's fans have known that their next movie project is going to be a re-imaging of True Grit. Re-imaging I say ? Yes. In that, it's not an all out re-make of the popular 1969 film that won John Wayne his only Oscar.

The Coen brothers are going to follow the book more closely than the 1969 film did. In the book, the story is seen more through the eyes of 13 year old Mattie Ross, the girl who's kind father was killed by a wayward drifter he hired as a ranch hand. Mattie's goal is to avenge her father's death.

In a nationwide search, the Coen's have made their choice on relative unknown 13 year old Hailee Steinfeld. This decision has me a little bit leery and dumbfounded. The Coen's apparently want Mattie Ross to be the lead in the film. A tall task for any actress that will have to act up against such veterans as Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper to name several, let alone leave it up to a virtual unknown young actress.

I was kind of hoping for Saoirse Ronan. They want the role of Hattie to be ornery and somewhat badass, and I could have easily seen Saoirse in that role.

But the Coen's know more about filmmaking than I do, so I guess we have no choice but to trust their judgement. Filming begins at the end of March and will see a Christmas day 2010 release.