After exploring the life of Elvis Presley with musical biopic starring Austin Butler in 2022, Australian director and producer Baz Luhrmann is reportedly working on a new feature film centred on the life of Joan of Arc. A figure who has profoundly influenced pop culture and fashion, from Romain Gavras to Jeanne Friot, Zendaya, Rosalía and Angèle. Story of a resurrection.
By Louise Menard,
and Violaine Schütz.
Published on 5 November 2025. Updated on 6 November 2025.
Milla Jovovich in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) by Luc Besson. © Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images.
Baz Luhrmann is making a film about Joan of Arc
Well-known for his theatrical, romantic, and flamboyant universe in Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001), and The Great Gatsby (2013), director Baz Luhrmann seems ready to take on one of the most emblematic figures in French history – Joan of Arc.
Nicknamed “the Maid of Orléans” and burned at the stake in 1431, this nearly mystical female figure, whose life has remained shrouded in mystery to this day, has already been portrayed many times in cinema. First appearing at the dawn of the seventh art in a short film by Georges Méliès in 1900, Joan of Arc later became the protagonist of films directed by great minds, like Victor Fleming, Roberto Rossellini, Robert Bresson, and Jacques Rivette.
Isla Johnston in the series The Queen’s Gambit (2020) © Phil Bray / Netflix.
Isla Johnston in the lead role
Among the many actresses who have had the opportunity to portray this role, one truly left a lasting impression on the big screen. With her angular face, both fierce and angelic, Milla Jovovich, sporting a bowl cut and clad in a heavy armour, delivered a powerful performance under the direction of Luc Besson in the intense The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999).
So, who could possibly succeed her and live up to such a formidable figure in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film titled Jehanne d’Arc? That’s the question currently on everyone’s lips. The name of 22-year-old American actress and Gen Z icon Jenna Ortega had been mentioned several times.
Perfectly at ease in strange, dark roles, such as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday or Astrid Deetz in Tim Burton’s latest film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), Jenna Ortega reportedly expressed a fascination with the life of Joanof Arc, thus fueling speculation about her potential involvement in this anticipated project. But it appears that the role will ultimately go to British actress Isla Johnston (The Queen’s Gambit, Invasion, The Carpenter’s Son), who is set to star in the film.
Romain Gavras draws his inspiration from the historical figure for Sacrifice
In addition to Baz Luhrmann’s project, Romain Gavras is currently working on a peculiar film, titled Sacrifice, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Charli xcx, and Salma Hayek, and said to inspired from Joan of Arc too. The premise? “A charity gala is disrupted by the attack of a violent group of radicals on a mysterious quest to fulfill a prophecy.”
But Joan of Arc has also taken to the stage. From January 29th to February 16th, 2025, at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, actress Judith Chemla reenacted the heroine’s 1431 trial. In a press release, the actress stated: “Joan of Arc’s words during her trial are an extraordinary testament to her freedom of speech, defiance, strength and humour in the face of judges, who saw her as nothing more than a manipulator and a liar.”
The rider wearing Jeanne Friot for the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony in 2024. © Jeanne Friot.
Joan of Arc, icon of the Castlecore trend
Considered by some as one of the first feminist and queer icons in history, Joan of Arc, born in 1412, still symbolizes a break from outdated norms and a blurring of boundaries between genders. An attitude that led her contemporaries to brand her a dangerous witch and threat to society. She was eventually burned at the stake for heresy. But, she was also a young woman of peasant origins, who experienced a meteoric rise. Thanks to her bravery and strength, she led French troops to victory against the army of England and lifted the Siege of Orléans, thus changing the course of the Hundred Years’ War.
This fearless and determined warrior appear quite modern thanks to the nature of her fight. As the true badass she is, Joan of Arc resonates with a post-#MeToo era, one where women are speaking out and relentlessly fighting back in a world still largely ruled by patriarchy.
It is also worth noting that her androgynous look and short haircut never go out of style. The key elements of her armour can even be seen in Paco Rabanne‘s designs. Pinterest forecasted the Castlecore trend for 2025, reviving all things medieval, from ruby-studded vintage rings to chainmail. And Joan of Arc could very well be the ultimate representative of this aesthetic.
Zendaya at the Met Gala in New York on May 7th, 2018. Photo by Dia Dipasupil/WireImage via Getty Images.
A major influence in pop culture, from Zendaya to Rosalía
In recent years, many artists have drawn inspiration from this figure. Zendaya at the 2018 Met Gala, Chloë Sevigny for a Halloween party in 2007 or Fiona Apple. More recently, singer Angèle appeared in an imposing armour, holding a sword in her hands, for the cover of Photo magazine, shot by photographer Mathieu César in October 2024.
American singer Chappell Roan also channeled Joan of Arc during her performance at the MTV VMAs in September 2024. Set against a stage on fire, the medieval-themed show of the queer artist made a lasting impression.
And who could forget the stunning opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games? After a three-hour show and the parade of athletes from around the world, a rider on a silver horse emerged from the crowd to bring the Olympic flag to the Trocadéro. A symbol of France and freedom, she was dressed by young designer Jeanne Friot in a glittering suit of armour. A beautiful tribute to the Maid of Orléans, one you can now make your own, as the rider’s boots designed by Both and Jeanne Friot are now on sale since January 2025.
Lastly, singer Rosalía dedicates a track sang in French to Joan of Arc. Titled Jeanne, it is part of her new album Lux, a record centred around hagiographies, scheduled for release on November 7th, 2025. Also in November, a previously unpublished work by Monique Wittig has been published. Titled Joan of Arc, or rather Jeanne Rommée, because in my country girls take their mother’s name, it portrays the heroine in a more feminist light, as a young woman secretly learning history, strategy, and how to wield a sword.
Jehanne d’Arc by Baz Luhrmann does not have a release date yet.
