Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has announced that he is looking for a teenage star to star in a new epic film about French heroine Joan of Arc.
The 62-year-old Elvis director caused a stir in Hollywood after he put out an open casting call that revealed a completely unknown star would star in the upcoming blockbuster, titled Joan of Arc.
The true story of Joan of Arc revolves around a peasant girl who led an army against the English during the Hundred Years’ War in the Middle Ages.
She was later burned at the stake after claiming she had a mission from God to “save” France.
Industry blog Term reported Tuesday that Luhrmann has sent out a casting call to agents describing his film as “the ultimate coming-of-age story.”
Scholars believe that the historical Joan, who died around age 19, incurred the wrath of church leaders because she wore men’s clothing, which was considered “blasphemous” at the time.
The story of Joan of Arc has been adapted into films many times over the past 100 years, with actresses including Casablanca star Ingrid Bergman and Americans Milla Jovovich and Leelee Sobieski in the role of the patron saint of France.
No details about the film’s budget have been released yet, but industry reports indicate that Luhrmann has set up the film at Warner Bros., which also produced his 2022 blockbuster Elvis.
Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has announced he is looking for a teenage star to star in a new epic film about French heroine Joan of Arc. (Pictured)
The 62-year-old Elvis director has sent Hollywood into a frenzy by sending out an open casting call that could see a completely unknown star in the upcoming blockbuster. Pictured: American actress Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc in the 1999 film The Messenger: The Story Of Joan Of Arc
The musical biopic about Elvis Presley grossed a whopping $288,670,284 worldwide.
This came after the Gold Coast cabin that Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin rented while making Elvis sold for $5.72 million.
The couple have been living increasingly ‘separate’ lives in recent years: the 59-year-old costume designer lives in the house in Miami, while the director works in New York.
The true story of Joan of Arc revolves around a peasant girl who led an army against the English in the Hundred Years’ War during the Middle Ages. Pictured: Leelee Sobieski in a scene from the 1999 miniseries Joan of Arc
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house was sold through Amir Prestige, with the estate agency using its beautiful seaside location as a selling point.
Renovated in the 1960s and located just steps from the pristine sands of Miami Beach, the home has a “nostalgic charm.”
Baz and Catherine moved into the cabin when they relocated from a larger house on the glitzy strip to this neighborhood after moving to the neighborhood in 2020.
In a recent interview with The Australian’s Wish magazine, Catherine opened up about her long-distance relationship with her husband.
The Academy Award-winning costume designer said the couple spoke frequently on the phone while he was in New York and she stayed at the Gold Coast cabin.
Catherine said she enjoyed the “work/life balance” on the Gold Coast, taking long walks along the beach every morning and attending classes at her local Pilates studio.
“I called Baz this morning. I was walking to Pilates and he was surprised about the weather because he’s in New York,” she said in the interview.
Baz recently had to debunk rumours of a split after fans noticed eerie similarities between Australian actor Hugh Jackman’s failed marriage to Deborra-Lee Furness.
Pictured: Luhrmann and his wife of 27 years, designer Catherine Martin, at the Met Gala in May
The director confirmed that the couple is still very much in love.
Baz and Catherine have been married for 27 years and recently saw their children Lilly, 20, and William, 18, leave home.
Luhrmann rose to fame as the director of the Australian blockbuster Strictly Ballroom in 1992.
More hits followed, including Romeo + Juliet (1996) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Australia (2008), both starring Nicole Kidman, and The Great Gatsby (2013), which also featured DiCaprio.