Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to “Jack of Spades,” Joel Coen’s gothic mystery, and plans to put it in theaters in fall 2027, according to Deadline. The deal brings Coen back to Netflix eight years after the streamer released “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” the last film he directed with his brother, Ethan Coen.
This isn’t a full Coen brothers reunion, though. Joel Coen directs on his own, while Ethan Coen shares screenplay credit with him, novelist Eleanor Catton and playwright Conor McPherson.
The details of the Netflix acquisition
“Jack of Spades” is based on Frances Frederica Montrésor’s 1901 novel “The Alien: A Story of Middle Age.” Netflix describes the film as “a sinister gothic mystery filled with intrigue and betrayal set in the atmospheric Scottish Highlands,” TheWrap reported.
The cast includes Olivier Award winner Patsy Ferran, Emmy and Golden Globe winners Josh O’Connor and Damian Lewis, and Oscar nominee Lesley Manville. Joel Coen reunites with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel and longtime composer Carter Burwell. He also produces alongside Frances McDormand, Robert Graf, Steven Rales, Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin.
Joel Coen is a four-time Oscar winner, taking best picture, directing and adapted screenplay for “No Country for Old Men” and original screenplay for “Fargo.” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” earned three Oscar nominations.
What it means for Netflix and fans
Netflix’s plan puts “Jack of Spades” in theaters before it streams, though the scale of that release and an exact date haven’t been announced. TheWrap reported the film will reach Netflix later in 2027, and Variety said the theatrical window positions it as a likely awards contender for 2028.
The deal also gives Netflix another project with O’Connor, who starred in Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man” for the streamer in 2025. He won an Emmy for playing Prince Charles in Netflix’s “The Crown.”
Background on the Coen brothers’ separate projects
Since the brothers stopped directing together, Joel Coen has made “The Tragedy of Macbeth” for A24 and Apple. Ethan Coen directed the documentary “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind,” plus “Drive-Away Dolls” and “Honey Don’t!,” both of which he wrote with his wife, Tricia Cooke.
The brothers have dismissed reports of a rift. “In fact, it’s not anything like that,” Joel Coen told AFP in October.
What’s next
“Jack of Spades” is set for theaters in fall 2027 ahead of its arrival on Netflix. The brothers also told AFP they plan to direct another film together, though they gave no details.
“We’re getting old. It better be the near future,” Joel Coen said.
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