Joel Coen’s ‘Jack of Spades’ Is a Gothic Mystery Based on a 1901 Novel, With Patsy Ferran “Dynamite” in the Lead

Joel Coen’s “Jack of Spades” wrapped production in Glasgow around November 2025. Focus Features, who I last heard were circling the project, have not confirmed their involvement, and the film failed to show up at any festivals.

A few months ago, I reported that the film had been punted to 2027, despite one of the film’s stars, Lesley Manville, telling Deadline that the film would be released later this year. A few days later, Variety reported that the film had screened for a handful of studios. The first cut was apparently close to 150 minutes, and sources say the film showed “immense promise.” A tighter second cut screened weeks later, and I’m hearing that Broadway actress Patsy Ferran is absolutely dynamite in the lead role.

The film stars Ferran, Josh O’Connor, Frances McDormand, Damian Lewis, and Lesley Manville, but no plot details have been revealed. All we know is that it’s a “gothic mystery” set in 1880s Scotland.

That said, I can confirm that the film is based on Frances Frederica Montrésor’s 1901 novel “The Alien: A Story of Middle Age.”

The central character is Esther Mordaunt, played by Ferran, a woman in her thirties. The story revolves around a man who returns from the dead (O’Connor) and becomes involved in a scheme concerning inheritance and property. He and Esther become companions navigating duty, desire, and the pull of the past. Meanwhile, the mysterious man, possibly a ghost, is claimed by a woman — McDormand or Manville — as the son and heir who died thirty years before.

Bruno Delbonnel serves as cinematographer on “Jack of Spades.” If you want a dreamlike atmosphere, then hire Delbonnel, whose work on the Coens’ “Inside Llewyn Davis” was incredible. I can also confirm that Coen regular Carter Burwell composed the score for this one — he’s been responsible for the music on almost every Coen brothers film.

Coen wrote the screenplay, which had an original draft by Eleanor Catton. The movie is produced by Blueprint Pictures and Indian Paintbrush.

It’ll be interesting to see how Joel’s solo sophomore effort turns out. “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” released in 2021, was a Shakespeare adaptation. “Jack of Spades” seems to be digging deeper into a novel we know much less about. As always, if I find more details about the film, I’ll relay them forward.