It may seem like a while ago, but at the tail end of 2011, heat started to build up around a movie featuring the blockbuster pairing of star Angelina Joile and director Luc Besson. Universal Pictures snapped up 80% of the worldwide distribution rights to the movie and then…Jolie decided to make "Maleficent" next. But not to worry, this project is still very much on schedule and it looks like it will be going up next for both Jolie and Besson.
Variety reveals that the plan is now for the untitled thriller — details of which are still under wraps — to shoot in early 2013, once Jolie is done with her Disney pic and Besson wraps up his upcoming comic gangster pic "Malavita." But in what seems like a sudden burst of activity from Besson (didn’t he sort of retire from directing a while ago?) he’s lining up an adaptation of the french comic "Valerian" for the big screen. He will write and direct this story about a time and space jumping duo — Valerian and his female sidekick Laureline — as they get into space adventures something something nothingwilleverbeatthefifthelement. So yes, that’s three movies Besson now has on his plate.
It seems the director is newly invigorated again which is nice to see, and as his one swing at the bat at Oscar bait — "The Lady" — didn’t quite pan out, we’re not shocked he’s headed firmly back into his action wheelhouse. But we’ll be curious to see if these gigs can help recapture some of that magic that made him a name back in the day.
