There are only two things to say about the fact that Focus Features has announced a date for the next Coen Brothers flick, Burn After Reading, which will open on September 12. First is that this news would have been nice last week, in the more immediate wake of Oscar, but I won’t begrudge the studio a couple days.

Second is that Focus has some confidence in the film, or at least in the Coens’ rejuvinated reputation. Not that September is much of a month so far, with Righteous Kill (also on the 12th) being Burn‘s only real competition unless Eagle Eye turns into a serious buzz picture. More to the point, Focus seems to feel the brothers don’t need the fall festival bump that No Country got last year. Though if the film makes it to Cannes I’m sure it won’t hurt.

One thing the press release also points out but doesn’t quite emphasize that Emmanuel Lubezki is responsible for the cinematography. Somehow I keep forgetting that the Coens are switching feature DPs for only the second time. Lubezki joins the odd couple of Barry Sonnenfeld and Roger Deakins, who has become as synonymous with the Coens as one of the great director/cinematographer pairings in history. I’m very sad to see Deakins go, but almost as excited to see what Lubezki has come up with.