Netflix has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Jack of Spades, the upcoming film directed by Joel Coen, and is positioning the project as a major contender for the 2028 awards season. The film is expected to arrive in theaters in fall 2027 before becoming available on the streaming platform.
Based on Frances Frederica Montrésor’s 1901 novel The Alien: A Story of Middle Age, the film is described as a gothic mystery set in the Scottish Highlands, with a story shaped by intrigue and betrayal. Production wrapped earlier in 2026.
The acquisition gives Netflix an early addition to its next awards-season slate, even as the company continues campaigning for its current collection of Oscar hopefuls.
Josh O’Connor and Lesley Manville Lead the Cast
Jack of Spades features an ensemble led by Olivier Award winner Patsy Ferran, alongside Golden Globe winners Josh O’Connor and Damian Lewis. Oscar nominee Lesley Manville also stars in the film.
Joel Coen co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Ethan Coen, as well as Eleanor Catton and Conor McPherson. The project brings several established creative collaborators back into Joel Coen’s filmmaking circle.
His wife, Frances McDormand, is among the producers, alongside Steven Rales of Indian Paintbrush, Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin of Blueprint Pictures, and Robert Graf.
Joel Coen Reunites With Netflix After Oscar Success
The film also marks another collaboration between Coen and Netflix following The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. That anthology film received three Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel and composer Carter Burwell are also part of the production. Both have worked with Coen on several previous projects, including Inside Llewyn Davis and The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Netflix is also reuniting with O’Connor, whose previous work with the streamer includes The Crown and Wake Up Dead Man. With its acclaimed cast, experienced creative team, and planned theatrical release, Jack of Spades is shaping up as one of Netflix’s notable films for the 2027–28 awards cycle.
Scottish Setting Shapes the Film’s Gothic Atmosphere
The film’s setting is an important part of its appeal. Production took place in Scotland, with Glasgow streets transformed to resemble a Victorian-era town. Horse-drawn carriages, period costumes, and historic buildings helped recreate the atmosphere of the story’s 19th-century setting. Images from the shoot show O’Connor wearing period clothing, offering an early glimpse of the film’s visual direction.
The production also reunites Coen with cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, whose previous collaborations with the director include Inside Llewyn Davis, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. Carter Burwell, another longtime Coen collaborator, is composing the score. His official project listing confirms that Jack of Spades is scheduled for release in 2027.
Netflix has not yet announced an exact theatrical release date or its streaming premiere. However, the planned fall 2027 theatrical window gives the film an opportunity to build awards-season momentum before reaching the platform’s global audience.