In the realm of literature and cinema, there are few truly timeless stories that maintain relevance over centuries. One of these is The Count of Monte Cristo, first published in 1846—an immensely successful novel by the renowned French writer Alexandre Dumas, which has since become a true classic.

Over the course of nearly two centuries, the novel has sold millions of copies and has been translated into almost every language. The tale of Edmond Dantès, who was betrayed by his friends, sought revenge, and reclaimed his lost love, resonates with each new generation. As a result, it has seen numerous film adaptations over the decades. However, each adaptation tends to bring along its own messages, often drifting from the original premise in ways that can feel less relevant today.

On September 5, 2024, audiences will witness what its creators claim to be the most grandiose, complete, and uncensored adaptation of the famous story. This new rendition invites viewers to confront challenging questions.

UNIAN, together with Green Light Films, has gathered some intriguing information about this fresh adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo).

The Plot

This new film, brought to the screen by filmmakers Mathieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, provides a refreshing take on the journey of young and ambitious Edmond Dantès. Wrongly accused due to the scheming of his so-called friends, Dantès faces an unjust sentence from a corrupt court and is sentenced to life imprisonment in Europe’s most formidable prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After years of enduring his imprisonment, the unbreakable Dantès orchestrates a daring escape. With newfound wealth, he returns to the outside world, intending to unleash a harrowing revenge on those who wronged him, while also navigating his path toward love and a better understanding of his place in a brutal world.

The Scale of the New Film

Produced by the famed French film studio Pathé, the film boasts a hefty budget of €43 million.

This is the first adaptation where the makeup team has skillfully altered the facial features of the protagonist so convincingly that, after a 15-year time jump, the character is nearly unrecognizable to his peers. Over two and a half months of shooting, actor Pierre Niney (Yves Saint Laurent, Masquerade) endured over 150 hours in the makeup chair, not counting additional on-set touch-ups. Each session of physical transformation took four to six hours.

To convincingly portray scenes showing the toll of prison life, where Dantès appears gaunt and exhausted, Niney adhered to a strict diet, avoiding solid food and mainly drinking juices for a period. Niney, with gratitude for his fast metabolism, remarked that maintaining discipline was the key to achieving the required look. Throughout the filming process, he worked closely with a nutritionist while also keeping up with a rigorous training regimen under the guidance of a personal trainer.

In preparation for the intense escape scenes from the prison, Niney trained in freediving (apnea) with Stéphane Mifsud, a world champion in static apnea. This training allowed him to remain submerged underwater while tied up in a bag at depths of 15 meters for extended periods.

Premiere and Reception

The film made its debut during the out-of-competition section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The audience responded with a thunderous standing ovation that lasted for 12 minutes. For comparison, the Jury Prize-winning Jacques Audiard's Emilia Perez elicited 9 minutes of applause.

As of now, the film holds a solid score of 8/10 on IMDb based on over 5,000 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has earned a perfect 100% from critics and 94% approval from viewers. Meanwhile, Metacritic’s evaluation stands at 62/100, denoting "generally favorable reviews."

Star-Studded Ukrainian Voice Over

For the first time in the history of its numerous screen adaptations, Edmond Dantès will be voiced by another Dantes—Ukrainian singer and blogger Volodymyr Dantes. He fulfilled a personal dream by lending his voice to one of his favorite characters from his youth.

"Back in school, when we read The Count of Monte Cristo in literature class, it was described to us as a love story. But upon rereading it as an adult, I realized it’s truly a thriller. It’s ultimately a tale of a man blinded by his thirst for revenge. Dantès is the anti-hero people sympathize with on screen because he’s untouchable, and that makes him enticing. I think Pierre Niney captures this essence wonderfully, and my job was to preserve that spirit in the Ukrainian dubbing," the artist shared.

The role of Mercedes, Dantès' lifelong love, was dubbed by another Ukrainian superstar, actress and TV host Nataliia Denysenko.

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