After a year 2024 marked by several successes of French cinema in theaters, the 2025 vintage looks very promising with ambitious films on the program. Here are the 5 most anticipated feature films.
De Gaulle
Announced in July 2021 by the American site Variety, the diptych “De Gaulle” – part 1 of which is due out in 2025 – by Antonin Baudry is inspired by the book by British author Julian Jackson, “De Gaulle, a certain idea de la France”, which will begin its story in the first half of 1940, the moment when an unknown general cannot bring himself to accept the defeat of his country against Nazi Germany, and decides to return to London, without support, to try to organize resistance against the invader.
The film, and its second part, will relate his journey during the Second World War, before following him in his political commitments, until his death on November 9, 1970. It is Simon Abkarian who will have the task of playing General on screen, while Niels Schneider will be General Leclerc. Thierry Lhermitte, Karim Leklou, Anamaria Vartolomei, and Benoît Magimel complete the cast.
13 days, 13 nights
Adapted from the book “13 days, 13 nights in the hell of Kabul” by Commander Mohamed Bida, the film aims to recreate the spectacular extraction operation carried out by the soldier and his men in August 2021, at a time when the Afghan capital falls into the hands of the Taliban after the departure of American troops, French embassy staff and their families. An intense race against time inspired by a breathtaking true story.
Spectators will find Roschdy Zem in the main role, that of Commander Mohamed Bida who, with ten elite police officers, will find himself trying to negotiate the lives of 500 French nationals – men, women and children – before the Taliban go on the offensive. A heroic mission carried out with bravery and humanity and full of twists and turns. Lyna Khoudri, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Christophe Montien, Yan Tual and Fatima Adoum complete the cast.
Chien 51
Currently filming, “Chiens 51” is a science fiction film developed by Studiocanal with Cédric Jimenez (BAC Nord) directing, as well as Gilles Lellouche and Adèle Exarchopoulos (L’Amour ouf) in the lead roles. It is adapted from the eponymous novel by Laurent Gaudé.
“In 2045, Paris is divided into zones that separate social classes and monitored by the AI Alma. Salia, an elite investigator from Zone 2, and Zem, a disillusioned police officer from Zone 3, are forced to work together to investigate the assassination of Alma's inventor. Their investigation will quickly reveal much deeper layers of conspiracy, which force them to question their own allegiances and the true nature of the authority that governs the country,” specifies the official synopsis.
In the credits, spectators will also find Louis Garrel, Xavier Dolan, Valéria Bruni-Tedeschi, Artus, Hugo Dillon, Stéphane Bak, Daphné Patakia and Agathe Mougin. Theatrical release scheduled for October 15, 2025.
Kaamelott, part 2
Expected sometime in 2025 – if all goes well – “Kaamelott, part 2” began filming in the greatest secrecy last summer (in June according to revelations by Joëlle Sevilla on the Lyon Femmes site). The scenario of this sequel is shrouded in mystery, Alexandre Astier having insisted on revealing nothing – not even to his actors – until the last moment. No images have been leaked on the networks. As a reminder, no less than 2.6 million fans came to theaters in 2021 to see the first part.
Dracula – A Love Tale
There is no doubt that “Dracula – A Love Tale”, which marks the return of Luc Besson behind the camera since “DogMan” in 2022, will be one of the attractions of the year 2025. The director reunites there with the American actor Caleb Landry Jones, whose he compares the talent to that of Gary Oldman, to whom he entrusts the main role. Adapted from the novel by Bram Stocker, this feature film will follow the way in which Prince Vladimir, in the 15th century, loses his beloved before being transformed into a vampire. And the shock he experiences when he encounters his reincarnation in London, four centuries later.
“The approach is totally romantic. There is this dimension in Bram Stoker's novel, which has not been exploited much. It is a love story about a man who waits 400 years for the reincarnation of his wife. This is the true heart of this story, the eternal wait for the return of your loved one,” explains Luc Besson to the American site Deadline.
“In general, you don't see the character (Dracula) from that angle, in the sense that you don't stay with him as long as in this film. In general, the monster is absent, and we play with him throughout the film. We don't hear much about him. In this movie, we get to spend time with him in a way we've never seen before, which is nice. Usually the monster is taken away from you. In this film, we give it to you,” explains Caleb Landry Jones to the American site Collider. Also featuring Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu and Matilda De Angelis.
