The Count of Monte Cristo (2024 film)

The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is a 2024 French period adventure-drama film based on the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. The film is written and directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière and stars Pierre Niney in the role of Edmond Dantès.

The film had its world premiere at the Out of the Competition section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2024, and was released theatrically in France on 28 June 2024 by Pathé. With a budget estimated in €42.9 million, The Count of Monte Cristo is the most expensive French film of 2024.

Premise
Betrayed by his friends and convicted by a corrupt magistrate, the sailor Edmond Dantès is condemned to life imprisonment; upon his escape, he obtains a sizeable fortune and returns to France disguised as the "Count of Monte Cristo", an identity through which he plans to exact vengeance on those who ruined him.

Cast

 * Pierre Niney as Edmond Dantès
 * Bastien Bouillon as Fernand de Morcerf
 * Anaïs Demoustier as Mercédès Herrera
 * Anamaria Vartolomei as Haydée
 * Laurent Lafitte as Gérard de Villefort
 * Pierfrancesco Favino as Abbé Faria
 * Patrick Mille as Danglars
 * Vassili Schneider as Albert de Morcerf
 * Julien de Saint Jean as Andrea

Production
The film is written and directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière and produced by Chapter 2 and Pathé Films. They were revealed to be working on the project in November 2020. It is co-produced by M6 Films, Fargo Films, Logical Content Ventures and Umedia.

With a budget estimated in €42.9 million, The Count of Monte Cristo is the most expensive French film of 2024.

Casting
Pierre Niney was cast in the lead role in February 2023. In July 2023, Anaïs Demoustier, Laurent Lafitte, Anamaria Vartolomei, Bastien Bouillon, Patrick Mille, Vassili Schneider, and Julien de Saint Jean were cast in the film.

Filming
Principal photography got underway in the summer of 2023.

Release
The film was selected to be screened out of competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 22 May 2024, and earned a nearly 11-minute standing ovation at the end of its screening.

It was theatrically released by Pathé in France on 28 June 2024.

The film had its international debut at the 2nd Mediterrane Film Festival on 22 June 2024.

It also played at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival on 19 July 2024.