Ethan Coen is back behind the camera with Honey Don’t!, a sun-drenched noir comedy that trades on cult paranoia, and a strange string of deaths. After last year’s Drive-Away Dolls, Coen reunites with star Margaret Qualley, this time placing her in the trench coat of a dogged private investigator named Honey O’Donahue.
Set in Bakersfield, California—but filmed across New Mexico—Honey Don’t! follows Honey as she pokes into what first appears to be an unfortunate car accident. But the deeper she digs, the more twisted the road becomes. The official synopsis is to the point: “Honey O’Donahue is a small-town private investigator who delves into a series of strange deaths tied to a mysterious church.” Sounds simple, until you factor in Chris Evans as a magnetic, secret-stuffed preacher pulling the strings of a seemingly idyllic congregation.
Evans leads a packed ensemble that includes Aubrey Plaza as a local law enforcer with her own secrets, Charlie Day as a jittery detective, and Billy Eichner, Talia Ryder, and Lena Hall in supporting roles. Plaza, in particular, is shaping up to be a scene-stealer, with Qualley herself telling IndieWire, she’s“one of my favorite actors and people of all time.”
The film is penned by Coen and long-time collaborator—and real-life partner—Tricia Cooke. Their knack for threading biting humor through layers of danger and dysfunction is fully on display in the teaser.
Coen, who famously parted ways (creatively, not contentiously) from brother Joel in recent years, is building a solo rhythm. Yet he’s left the door open for another Coen Brothers project. “None of the decisions are definitive,” he recently told Empire. “We might make another movie.”
Premiering out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Honey Don’t! is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 22 via Focus Features. It’s mystery, mayhem, and a whole lot of Margaret Qualley.
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