UPDATE: Our first look at Josh O’Connor in “Jack of Spades,” via leaked set photos, can be seen below. Is it just me or does he give off serious Tom Hardy vibes?
EARLIER: I don’t know about you, but I’m getting good vibes about Joel Coen’s upcoming “Jack of Spades,” which is currently shooting in Glasgow.
Details keep trickling in about this otherwise mysterious new film, which stars Josh O’Connor, Lesley Manville, Frances McDormand, and Damien Lewis. Plot information remains scarce, but the story is being described as a “gothic mystery” set in 1880s Scotland.
The latest on-set report has Coen regular — and the great — Bruno Delbonnel taking the reins as cinematographer on “Jack of Spades.” If you want a dreamlike atmosphere, then hire Delbonnel. The man loves his softly lit frames. Manipulating soft light and color, he’s known for using velvety contrast to emphasize his photography. The man is brilliant.
I loved Delbonnel’s work in “Amelie,” one of the great achievements of the art form, and not far behind is his stunning work in Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Inside Llewyn Davis.” He also created visual magic on Joel’s previous solo effort, “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
“Jack of Spades” really does look, on paper, like something special, and that’s in stark contrast to what Ethan Coen has been doing of late, indulging in a lesbian-themed B-movie trilogy with partner Tricia Cooke (“Drive-Away Dolls,” “Honey Don’t”). It’s quite clear who is the more serious Coen.
It’ll be interesting to see how Joel’s solo sophomore effort turns out. “Macbeth” was visually stunning but very much a straightforward Shakespeare adaptation. This latest project, “Jack of Spades,” seems like a more original effort from Joel, who also wrote the screenplay. The talent is there for something special.
For now, “Jack of Spades” continues shooting and is expected to wrap sometime in November. If it’s any good — and I’m betting it will be — could we maybe expect a Cannes 2026 premiere?
