\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-variety-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
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\t\t\t\t\tMaxime Saada, Ted Sarandos <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNicolas DEMARE<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Original+ kicked off with Studiocanal boss and Canal+ Group CCO Anna Marsh who unveiled two big English-language projects that reflect the banner\u2019s production range: \u201cElsinore<\/a>,\u201d starring Andrew Scott<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Olivia Colman<\/a>, directed by BAFTA nominee Simon Stone (\u201cThe Dig\u201d); and Ava DuVernay<\/a>\u2018s \u201cHeist of Benin,\u201d <\/a>starring David Oyelowo<\/a>. The company also teased several ambitious French movies slated for a theatrical release in 2026: \u201cLes Miserables,\u201d a sweeping adaptation of Victor Hugo\u2019s classic with director Fred Cavay\u00e9 and the ensemble cast: Vincent Lindon, Tahar Rahim<\/a>, Benjamin Lavernhe, No\u00e9mie Merlant, Vassili Schneider, Marie Colomb and Megan Northam who took part in a panel discussion, followed by a teaser reveal; and \u201cViolette,\u201d the next film by \u201cAmelie\u201d director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Leila Bekhti in the lead role. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tTahar Rahim, No\u00e9mie Merlant<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMAT NINAT STUDIO<\/p>\n \n\tAlso teased at The Original+ were \u201cGuru,\u201d a paranoid thriller by \u201cBlack Box\u201d director Yann Gozlan starring Pierre Niney who was on hand at the showcase, alongside Ma\u00efmouna Doucour\u00e9 (\u201cCuties\u201d), who will be filming her anticipated Josephine Baker<\/a> biopic next year, and Jonathan Cohen, <\/a>the French actor-turned-filmmaker who announced that he had been tapped to write and direct a live-action adaptation of\u00a0\u201cThe Twelve Tasks of Asterix,\u201d a popular animated series created by Goscinny and Uderzo in 1976.<\/p>\n \n\tOn stage, Marsh said that Studiocanal invests \u20ac220 million in film and TV productions , as well as finances and distributes 80 films and about 20 series per year through a network of 200 production labels and a library of more than 9,400 titles. As Canal+ Group recently completed its acquisition of a 34-percent stake in\u00a0UGC<\/a>, which operates one of France\u2019s leading cinema chains, Studiocanal intends on doubling down on theatrical in the next couple of years. Marsh revealed in a recent interview with Variety <\/a>that the company is also exploring distribution operations in new territories besides France, the U.K., Germany\/Austria, Poland, Spain and Australia\/New Zealand.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tAnna Marsh<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMAT NINAT STUDIO<\/p>\n \n\tStudiocanal saw the box office for its productions and co-productions triple between 2022 and 2024, and Marsh said the outfit will look to build on that momentum in 2026 and 2027 with upscale, theatrically-driven movies, such as \u201cLes Miserables,\u201d \u201cViolette,\u201d \u201cGuru,\u201d the Josephine Baker biopic and the next live-action \u201cAsterix\u201d movie. <\/p>\n \n\tSome shows slated for 2026 were also highlighted by key talent and filmmakers at The Original+, notably actor Tewfik Jallab for \u201cApollo Has Fallen,\u201d a sequel to the \u201cHas Fallen\u201d franchise from BAFTA-winning director Howard Overman; actors Sami Bouajila and Mamadou Sidib\u00e9 for \u201cUn prophete,\u201d a series inspired by Jacques Audiard\u2019s Oscar-nominated film by the same name; Rahim, who besides \u201cLes Miserables,\u201d was also there to talk about \u201cPrisoner,\u201d an international series for Canal+ and Sky; and Nomzamo Mbatha, the multi-hyphenate South African star and producer who chatted about development at MultiChoice Group, which was recently fully acquired by Canal+,<\/a> including \u201cSpinners 2<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tNomzamo Mbatha (actrice dans le film \u201d Shaka iLembe\u201d)<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMAT NINAT STUDIO<\/p>\n \n\tThe Original+ also brought on stage many of France\u2019s most popular comedians who have been working closely with Canal+\u2019s flagship pay-TV channel for decades, such as Jamel Debbouze, Florence Foresti and Paul Mirabel who are each preparing new shows. <\/p>\n \n\tThe group, for which comedy has always been a part of its DNA, saved its most unexpected news for the end of The Original+, as it rolled a clip of SNL star Chlo\u00e9 Fineman announcing (in French) that \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d is coming to France. Canal+ is indeed developing a French adaptation in close collaboration with the American teams. \u201cEach episode will feature a special guest, who, surrounded by a permanent troupe of comedians, will present their own show,\u201d said Canal+. <\/p>\n \n\tBefore The Original+ presentation started, as guests were being welcomed by a Santa dressed in black \u2013 the Canal+ color code, Variety caught up with Rahim and Merlant about \u201cLes Miserables.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tRahim, who plays Javert in the epic film, said the role \u201cwas something interesting, as well as emotionally and psychologically challenging.\u201d \u201cWhat we wanted to do with Fred Cavay\u00e9 was to bring something that\u2019s never been told before. And we found a little seed in the book that we watered to bring something different and new to Javert,\u201d he said, before adding that the film will boast a face-to-face between Javert and Valjean, played by Lindon. <\/p>\n \n\tThe movie will also boast powerful female characters. Merlant, whose credits include \u201cPortrait of a Lady on Fire,\u201d as well as \u201cLee\u201d and \u201cT\u00e0r,\u201d talked about her role as Fantine, whom she describes as \u201ca courageous woman who handles everything alone by herself\u2026 like a lot of women, even today.\u201d She says the film gives a \u201clot of power to women.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWhile on stage, Lindon, who is one of France\u2019s most revered actors with recent roles in \u201cTitane\u201d and \u201cOf Money and Blood,\u201d said playing Valjean \u201cwas the role I dreamed of playing.\u201d \u201cI hope you dream of seeing it, and I hope I live up to that.\u201d The movie will be released in December 2026. <\/p>\n \n\tMbatha, meanwhile, reflected on Canal+ Group\u2019s impact in the African content through its acquisition of MultiChoice. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIt\u2019s important to see Canal+ come to the continent\u2026 African stories will not just be hyper-local,\u201d she said, before adding, \u201cThe incredible thing that Canal+ has said from the very beginning is that \u2018We want to work with local producers, we want to work with local filmmakers, and we want to take local talent to global stages.’\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAfrican stories have been dying to be able to also have equal participation in the global stage,\u201d Mbatha continued. <\/p>\n \n\tThe Original+ wrapped on a Christmas-y note with a choir of children singing the Canal+ lineup. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Canal+ Group, the listed pay-TV banner which owns \u201cPaddington\u201d producer\/distributor Studiocanal, hosted a splashy American-style upfront presentation coined…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":351395,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[49,48,75,84102,152625,348],"class_list":{"0":"post-351394","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-maxime-saada","12":"tag-tahar-rahim","13":"tag-tv"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351394"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351394\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/351395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n