2024, Olympic year for French cinema with three films in the top five entries: gold for A little something extramoney for Le Comte de Monte Cristo and 5th place for phew love.
With nearly 11 million admissions (9th biggest French success in the history of the French box office), A little something extradirected by the actor Artus – who also plays one of the main roles -, reissues a ten-year-old performance.
In fact, we have to go back to 2014 to see a French film at the top of the annual box office in France with What have we done to the good Lord?worn by Christian Clavier, which had totaled more than 12 million entries, according to CBO Box-Office data.
“When I returned to Paris to attend the Olympic Games, I noticed that my status had changed. (…) I am better known but less sought after, and I am honored!”commented Artus with humor in Le Parisien Week-End. Previously identified as an acid stand-up comedian, the thirty-year-old was once approached by his fans with a pat on the back in the street.
Artus' film, which, according to the wishes of its director, laughs with people with disabilities and not at their expense, beat out American and French blockbusters.
From Hollywood studios, Dune II has bet on a science fiction at 190 million dollars according to the American press, with megastars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. Result: it finished the year 7th in the French box office only.
On the French side, Le Comte de Monte Cristo (more than 9 million admissions) has plowed the furrow of romantic heroes in a bringing up to date of swashbuckling films.
Pierre Niney in the title role walks in the boots of Fanfan the Tulip with Gérard Philipe (1952), from Hunchback with Jean Marais (1959), from Cartouche with Jean-Paul Belmondo (1962) or, more contemporary, the new version of Three musketeerswith two parts in 2023 aligning the stars (Vincent Cassel, Romain Duris, François Civil, Pio Marmaï, Eva Green). With a budget of nearly 43 million euros, according to the specialized press, Le Comte de Monte Cristo therefore achieves a less impressive somersault thanA little something extra et ses 6 million de budget.
Internationally, Le Comte de Monte Cristo however, benefits from its long-term exploitation. By mid-November, it had already collected more than $100 million at the worldwide box office, according to the production company Pathé Films.
For his part, Artus told the newspaper Le Parisien that“Americans and Italians bought the rights to make a remake” of his film, which has already earned 81 million euros from its exploitation in France and abroad, according to Libération. With its casting including actors with disabilities – who climbed the steps of the Cannes Film Festival in the spring, even though the film was not selected – A little something extra also undermined the strategy of phew love.
Directed by a popular actor-filmmaker, Gilles Lellouche, the project is based on a glamorous star tandem (François Civil, Adèle Exarchopoulos) and a budget of nearly 36 million euros, according to the specialist press. This romantic drama finished in 5th place at the 2024 French box office (4.7 million spectators) thanks to its young audience.
The other good news from French cinema will perhaps come from Emilia Perez, to the international casting directed by Jacques Audiard. In only 28th position at the national box office (with just over a million admissions), this daring musical comedy about a sex-changing drug trafficker is causing a lot of talk in view of the next Oscars, after winning the Jury Prize on the Croisette in the spring.
