The Fifth Element director Luc Besson‘s next project will see him adapting the french graphic novel Valerian—to be titled Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets—for the big screen, with Dane DeHaan (Kill Your Darlings) and Cara Delevingne (soon to be seen in Paper Towns) set to star. The director made the announcement via his first ever tweet, which was then followed by the film’s logo (pictured above).
The story follows the adventures of a time-traveling agent, Valerian, and his sidekick Laureline (possibly like the French Dr. Who?).
Besson is writing, directing, and financing the flick. His past work has been known to launch strong, iconic characters, both male and female—Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element, Natalie Portman in The Professional, Liam Neeson in Taken, Jason Statham in The Transporter, and most recently, Scarlett Johansson in Lucy. With such an impressive track record, Besson will likely be able to do something similar for both DeHaan and Delevingne.
After becoming a scene-stealer in films like Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, DeHaan has a full film schedule lined up for the next couple of years. In 2015, he will be starring as James Dean in Life (which has already premiered at the Berlinale Film Festival), with Delevingne and many others in Tulip Fever, and with Tatiana Maslany (TV’s Orphan Black) in Two Lovers and Bear. He is currently voicing the animated feature Ballerina with Elle Fanning (Maleficent) and will soon begin work on Young Americans with Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables) and Kill Your Darlings co-star Daniel Radcliffe.
Delevingne has made her own impressive feat by successfully transitioning from model to actress. Besides starring in the latest John Green YA adaptation Paper Towns, she also has several other star-making roles ahead of her before Valerian hits theaters. In addition to her first appearance with DeHaan in Tulip Fever, she will star in Kids in Love and alongside Johnny Depp in London Fields. She will also be appearing in Joe Wright’s Pan and as the Enchantress in DC‘s Suicide Squad.
Valerian is set to be released in 2017.
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