, a Quebec-born executive who joined Netflix in 2018, has been a driving force behind a new wave of French action thrillers such as the “Lost Bullet” franchise that have been global hits on the streamer.
“Since the ‘Taxi’ franchise, whose first film came out nearly 20 years ago, there hadn’t been a big French-language action franchise,” said May, Netflix’s head of content acquisition in France. “With ‘Lost Bullet’ we’ve created a brand from scratch with an emerging director, Guillaume Pierret, and it has resonated with our subscribers not just in France but around the world, as if we had tapped into a real need,” continued May, who admitted to having “a soft spot for action movies.
Years ago, French helmers like Olivier Marchal and Fred Cavayé were directing cop thrillers for theaters but these are now seldom being made for the big screen. Yet May predicts a renaissance of the genre is in the cards in France. Often criticized for Americanizing the tastes of foreign audiences, Netflix has nevertheless played a significant role in bolstering local industries and emerging talent coming from diverse backgrounds. May said the success of “Banlieusards,” a film directed by the French rapper Kery James and Leila Sy that landed on Netflix in 2019, paved the way for this new breed of bold France-made Netflix movies that aren’t mainstream but very locally grounded.
The major differences for a film handled by Netflix’s acquisition or production units include the timing of the streamer’s involvement and the extent of its creative input. May will come on board projects that are either in advanced stages of development or completed.
Some of the theatrical projects recently boarded by Netflix include Maiwenn’s upcoming period movie with Johnny Depp starring as Louis XV. The film, which recently wrapped shooting in France, will star Maiwenn as Jeanne du Barry, a fearless countess who was the last mistress of the beloved French king. For now Netflix has acquired rights to the movie only for France, but it could land on the streamer in other territories down the line.
I know in France it will be on Netflix. Is their an English version that has been dubbed I highly doubt Netflix will use subtitle for its English speaking audience.
JeanneDuBarry
Oh god is this another butt kissing article article from Variety again?