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Jenna Ortega’s dream role goes to another rising star: More about Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Joan of Arc'

The project marks Luhrmann’s return to the director’s chair following 'Elvis'

AUGUST 15, 2025 3:36 PM EDTAUG 15, 2025, 3:36 PM EDT

Jenna Ortega may have publicly dreamed of portraying the legendary French martyr, but someone else is about to wear the armor. Despite Ortega’s passion for the role, director Baz Luhrmann appears to have found his Jehanne d’Arc in a rising star.

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'The Queen’s Gambit' breakout Isla Johnston is now in early talks to take on the coveted lead in Luhrmann’s next epic. Johnston, who previously played the younger version of Anya Taylor-Joy’s character Beth Harmon in the hit Netflix miniseries, would be making her first major leap into feature films if the deal goes through.

Warner Bros. hasn't commented on the potential casting yet, but the buzz surrounding her involvement is already gaining traction. Meanwhile, Ortega had recently opened up about her deep admiration for Joan of Arc during the 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' press tour.

“Renée Falconetti’s performance in that is absolutely insane," she said, referencing Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc. “I feel like a dream character for me would be Joan Of Arc.”

The timing seemed perfect. Luhrmann’s film had just entered casting mode, with an open search for “the ultimate teenage girl coming-of-age story, set in the Hundred Years’ War,” according to Deadline. Given Ortega's desire to play complex teens and her rising Hollywood stature, fans were quick to speculate whether she'd land her dream role.

But Luhrmann had a different vision and a different collaborator. Ava Pickett, a rising playwright whose work 1536 won the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, co-wrote the screenplay with Luhrmann. Her involvement began after Luhrmann read her play and immediately saw her as the voice for Jehanne d’Arc.

“As the story of Jehanne d’Arc is about a clash between generations, between the haves and have-nots, I knew that we needed an authentic, young female voice,” Luhrmann told Deadline. “When I got on the phone with Ava, I knew within minutes that she was the ideal person to collaborate with.”

Isla Johnston as the young Ursula in the BBC adaptation of Life After Life.

The duo has spent over a year developing the film. Their journey has taken them from Domrémy (Joan’s birthplace) to the Royal Armouries in Leeds, to a deeply emotional research trip in Rouen, where Joan was imprisoned and executed. “To put it in medieval terms,” Luhrmann added, “I feel we were both born to jest and forced to joust.”

“What we have on paper is a career-defining role that requires the right qualities, skill set, and an ability to capture the essence of youth in this moment,” he said.

Joan of Arc is shown here in a painting by Albert Lynch.

The project marks Luhrmann’s return to the director’s chair following 'Elvis' and is still in pre-production. No production date has been announced, and Luhrmann remains committed to finding the perfect lead before locking in a timeline. “As he did with Elvis, Luhrmann won’t commit to a production start until he’s completed the exact same workshopping process,” noted Deadline.

While Ortega may not be part of this chapter, her comments have left fans wondering whether she might still be considered for a role in the film, or perhaps another historical epic down the line. One thing is certain: her admiration for Joan of Arc was heartfelt, and the dream hasn’t necessarily died.