‘Valerian’ Will Be Most Expensive Film Ever Made in France

With filming finished and its release date only a few months away, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets will reportedly be the most expensive French film to date. Although the science fiction film is in English, the entire production has been staffed by the French film professionals, making it technically a French film. Previously, Asterix and the Olympic Games held that title of most expensive, with a cost of €78 million ($83 million).

The budget is reportedly just under €200 million, coming in at €197.47 million, according to a report published by CNC in 2016. This is equal to $210 million in United States currency. Currently, the upcoming Avengers films are set to be the most expensive films ever made in any country, with the two films combined costing $1 billion US dollars.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets tells the story of a girl and boy living in the 28th century in a city called Alpha. The leads are American, with the boy, named Valerian, being portrayed by Dane DeHaan, and the girl, named Laureline, being portrayed by model/actress Cara Delevingne. The film is based on the French comic series Valérian and Laureline, written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. It will feature over 200 different alien species.

Valerian was shot entirely on sound stages and locations in Paris. The cast also features stars like John Goodman, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, and Rihanna.

Director Luc Besson is well-known for his films in the ‘space opera’ genre, such as The Fifth Element in 1997, and Lucy in 2014. At the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, premiered some footage of Valerian, and it received a standing ovation from the crowd.

DeHaan has had roles in films such as The Amazing Spider-Man 2, A Cure for Wellness, and Lincoln. He also was featured in the music video for Imagine Dragons’ song ‘I Bet My Life’. Delevingne has previously starred in films such as Suicide Squad, Paper Towns, and Anna Karenina, and was also featured in Taylor Swift’s music video for song ‘Bad Blood’.

DeHaan and Delevingne will re-team in this year’s upcoming drama Tulip Fever, starring alongside Alicia Vikander, Christoph Waltz, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Hollander, and Judi Dench. Tulip Fever will be released in the U.S. on August 25th.

Look for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in theaters July 21st of this year.