Baz Luhrmann may have finally found his Joan of Arc.
As reported in Deadline, the Australian director behind Elvis and Moulin Rouge! is reportedly in early discussions with British actor Isla Johnston to take on the title role of 15th-century French heroine Joan of Arc in his upcoming Warner Bros epic.
The film will be titled Jehanne d’Arc, using the French spelling.
Luhrmann’s Joan of Arc: quick links
Who’s Joan of Arc?
Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl who, after claiming divine guidance, led the French army to important victories during the Hundred Years’ War (most notably at the Siege of Orléans).
Despite her military success, she was captured, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake – at the age of 19. Centuries later, she was canonised as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Isla Johnston is best-known for playing the young chess prodigy Beth Harmon (alongside Anya Taylor Joy who played her adult version) in The Queen’s Gambit. She portrayed Beth in four episodes of the Netflix series. Her resume also includes appearances in Invasion, Life After Life and the short film Unmourned.
Rumours have been swirling about who’s got the lead for a long time, and early potential names included Jenna Ortega and Bella Ramsey, but with Johnston now said to be ‘in talks’, it looks pretty clear that Ortega and Ramsey are out of the race.
If the casting is confirmed, Jehanne d’Arc would certainly be a career-defining moment for Johnston. Joan of Arc’s story – from peasant girl to military leader, and martyr to saint – has captivated people for centuries, and there’s no doubt Luhrmann’s version will be something special.
Deadline notes that Johnston’s representation includes The Artists Partnership in the UK and UTA.
Joan of Arc behind the scenes
Luhrmann has co-written the screenplay with British playwright Ava Pickett, and they’ve reportedly shaped an early draft. The creative team recently staged the script’s first reading for key Warner Bros stakeholders, which including people from production, marketing and publicity, at the Chateau Marmont. The reading was accompanied by a visual presentation from Luhrmann’s longtime collaborator and partner, Catherine Martin.
It is not known whether any part of the film will be shot in Australia.
As for what the story will focus on, Luhrmann and Pickett initially drew from Thomas Keneally’s novel Blood Red, Sister Rose, which explores Joan of Arc’s final years. Luhrmann even tried on 15th-century armour and visited Rouen (where Joan was imprisoned and eventually executed) as part of his immersive preparation.
An early casting call referred to the film as ‘the ultimate teen girl coming of age story’.
Warner Bros did not provide comment to Deadline.
ScreenHub: Baz Luhrmann’s Joan of Arc movie will be ‘the ultimate coming of age story’
A recent event at the Melbourne International Film Festival saw two exclusive showings of another Joan of Arc film: Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 French silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc, complete with a live score by acclaimed LA singer, songwriter and composer Julia Holter. The film focuses on Joan’s trial, with French actress Renée Jeanne Falconetti in the lead role.
Jehanne d’Arc follows Luhrmann’s music biopic film Elvis, which garnered eight Oscar nominations and grossed $288 million globally, and Faraway Downs, a limited series based on his 2008 film Australia.
Jehanne d’Arc does not yet have an international or Australian theatrical release date.
Also on ScreenHub: Timothée Chalamet serves up the unexpected in A24 Marty Supreme teaser
Timothée Chalamet is taking an unlikely swing at ping-pong glory in the teaser trailer for Marty Supreme, A24’s upcoming mid-century dramedy.
Marty Mauser (Chalamet) is a young table-tennis player burning with ambition. With determination that ‘goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness’, he insists he will dominate a sport nobody seems to ever take seriously – and he makes this clear by whacking ping-pong balls with hyper-focused zeal.
Set to land in US cinemas (and hopefully Australian ones) later this year, the film looks like it blends off-beat humour, romance and mid-century aesthetics to create a unique entry in the sports-movie genre.
Directed by Josh Safdie, who’s one half of the brothers known for Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019), there’s no chance this will be an ordinary drama.
Read more.
