Rolling off “The Artist,” French thesp Jean Dujardin will star opposite Cecile de France (“Hereafter”) in Eric Rochant’s thriller-romance, “Mobius.”
Set in Monte Carlo, in the world of high finance, “Mobius” stars Dujardin as an experienced spy tracking a powerful oligarch suspected of laundering money through his bank, and de France as a bright young trader.
In pre-production, pic will boast an international cast. French shingles Recifilms, Axel Films and Les Productions du Tresor are producing, in association with Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp, which is shopping the project at the AFM and will handle the French release.
“Mobius” marks Rochant’s comeback to the bigscreen. Best known for directing Yvan Attal in “The Patriots,” helmer has been busy with “Mafiosa” a hit TV drama series commissioned by Gallic paybox Canal Plus.
Delivery of “Mobius” is skedded for winter 2012.
The Paris-based company has also closed additional deals on Bibo Bergeron’s 1910-set tale “A Monster in Paris,” a 3D toon featuring a original score from Vanessa Paradis and Mathieu Chedid.
The animated-feature was acquired by Entertainment One for U.K. and Canada. Previous sales were inked with Russia’s MGN Paradise, and Germany’s Universum via its output deal with EuropaCorp. Marie-Laure Montironi, head of EuropaCorp’s international sales, said the company was in advanced negotiations with buyers from Spain, Italy and Japan.
Released on Oct. 12, “Monster in Paris” has grossed €7.68 million ($10.6 million). at the French B.O. A French animator who began his career working on U.S. tentpoles, Bergeron previously helmed “Shark Tales” and “The Road to Eldorado.”
At the AFM, EuropaCorp is also shopping French noir thriller “Blind Man,” toplining Lambert Wilson and Jacques Gamblin, and English-language titles including Liam Neeson starrer “Taken 2.”
