27/12/2023 - Pierre Niney, Bastien Bouillon, Anaïs Demoustier, Anamaria Vartolomei, Laurent Lafitte and Pierfrancesco Favino star in a Chapter 2 and Pathé production

After the diptych The Three Musketeers [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Chapter 2 and Pathé continue their cinematic modernisation project of the work of Alexandre Dumas with The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo). The film’s 77 days of filming unfolded from 24 July to 22 November 2023 and post-production will take place next year, with a view to a French cinema release on 11 December 2024.

This is the 3rd feature film co-directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, after notably What's in a Name? [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (nominated for the 2013 César award for Best First Feature and Best Adaptation).

Heading the cast in the title role is Pierre Niney (appreciated recently in The Book of Solutions [+see also:
film review
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interview: Michel Gondry
film profile]), who is supported by Bastien Bouillon (winner of the 2023 César award for Most Promising Actor for The Night of the 12th [+see also:
film review
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interview: Dominik Moll
film profile]), Anaïs Demoustier (a highlight this year in Along Came Love [+see also:
film review
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interview: Katell Quillévéré
film profile], The Beast in the Jungle [+see also:
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interview: Patric Chiha
film profile] and Daaaaaali! [+see also:
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trailer
film profile]), Anamaria Vartolomei (winner of the 2022 Lumière award for Best Actress and César award for Most Promising Actress for Happening [+see also:
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interview: Anamaria Vartolomei
film profile], next year in L’Empire and Maria), Laurent Lafitte (nominated for the César award for Best Supporting Actor in 2017 and 2018 for Elle [+see also:
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film profile] and See You Up There [+see also:
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film profile], in the spotlight this year in the series Class Act) and Italian star Pierfrancesco Favino (winner of the 2020 David di Donatello award for Best Actor for The Traitor [+see also:
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Q&A: Marco Bellocchio
film profile], nominated for the 2022 European Film Award in the same category for Nostalgia [+see also:
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interview: Mario Martone
interview: Pierfrancesco Favino
film profile], appreciated this year in Venice in The Commander [+see also:
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film profile] and Adagio [+see also:
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film profile]). Also standing out in the cast are Patrick Mille, Vassili Schneider and Julien de Saint-Jean.

Adapted by the two directors (who also wrote among other things the scripts for the two  Three Musketeers films) from the eponymous novel by Alexandre Dumas, the script is set in Marseille in 1815. All the dreams of young Edmond Dantès (Niney) are about to come true – promoted to ship’s captain he can finally marry the love of his life, Mercedes (Demoustier). But his success inspires jealousy from various quarters. Betrayed by his rivals and denounced as a member of a pro-Bonaparte conspiracy, he is imprisoned without trial at the Château d’If, with no hope of return. After fourteen years of secret instruction by fellow inmate Abbé Faria (Favino), Dantès manages to escape and to get hold of the legendary treasure hidden on the isle of Monte Cristo. Now with a huge fortune, he hatches an extraordinary plan to exact the vengeance he craves. Assuming multiple identities – “the Count of Monte Cristo” among them – Dantès first courts his enemies, now highly placed dignitaries, the better to strike them down. But the price of revenge is heavy for one’s soul…

Produced by Dimitri Rassam for Chapter 2 and by Pathé (who will also be handling distribution in France and international sales), The Count of Monte Cristo is co-produced by Fargo Films and M6 Films (who also pre-bought the film, as did Canal+ and Ciné+) and benefits from the support of the Ile-de-France region. The direction of photography will be handled by Canada’s Nicolas Bolduc (nominated for the 2020 César in his category for La Belle Époque [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicolas Bedos
film profile]) and the score will be composed by Jérôme Rebotier.

For the record, Chapter 2 is preparing 13 Jours, 13 Nuits, dans l'enfer de Kaboul by Martin Bourboulon, adapted from the eponymous novel by Mohamed Bida, with Roschdy Zem heading the cast.