Joel Coen’s ‘Jack of Spades’ Goes to Netflix With an Accompanying Theatrical Release

Joel Coen’s new film “Jack of Spades,” starring Josh O’Connor, Patsy Ferran, Damian Lewis and Lesley Manville, has been acquired by Netflix for release in 2027. Netflix, which has acquired worldwide rights, promises a fall 2027 theatrical release before it arrives on the streaming service later that year.Netflix describes the film as “a sinister gothic mystery filled with intrigue and betrayal set in the atmospheric Scottish Highlands.” Spooky. “Jack of Spades” was written by Eleanor Catton, Joel and Ethan Coen and Conor McPherson, based on Frances Frederica Montrésor’s 1901 novel “The Alien: A Story of Middle Age.” It was produced by Robert Graf, Frances McDormand (who is also Joel’s wife), Coen, Steven Rales for Indian Paintbrush and Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin for Blueprint Pictures. It was executive produced by Donald MacKinnon. The acquisition comes after Peter Rice took over as Chief Content Officer at Netflix for Bela Bajaria, while Netflix Film head Dan Lin was also fired. Bruno Delbonnel, who shot “Inside Llewyn Davis” for the brothers and Joel’s first solo film, 2021’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (made for A24 and Apple) is the cinematographer for “Jack of Spades.” Composer Carter Burwell, a regular collaborator of the Coens (who also scored “The Tragedy of Macbeth”), did the music for “Jack of Spades.” Previously, Netflix released “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” the last film that Joel and Ethan Coen made together, in 2018. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” was nominated for three Academy Awards – Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Original Song (for “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings”). Since the Coens stopped directing together, Ethan Coen has made a pair of madcap lesbian comedies (2024’s “Drive-Away Dolls” and 2025’s “Honey Don’t!”) that he wrote with his wife Tricia Cooke, both for Focus Features. Ethan also directed the 2022 documentary “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind” for A24. Recently, the brothers have commented that they will likely reunite soon; they are rumored to be working on a horror movie together. (When we talked to Ethan in 2024 he said that it involved “blood and feathers.”) Joel and Ethan Coen are represented by UTA and attorney Pat Murphy. UTA represented the sale.