Lucy on TF1: will a sequel see the light of day? – Cinema News

Released in our theaters in August 2014, Lucy, the science fiction film by Luc Besson worn by Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman and Min-sik Choi follows a student who, following circumstances beyond her control, sees her abilities intellectuals develop ad infinitum. She gains unlimited powers.

VERTIGINOUS FIGURES

Lucy was a real box office success, grossing $ 459 million at the international box office for an estimated budget of $ 40 million. The feature film produced by EuropaCorp is also the French film the most seen abroad in 2014 and has become the biggest success of French cinema in the world with more than 57 million admissions (France included). The film therefore surpasses Taken (another EuropaCorp production) which until now has held the 1st place in the box office with 47.8 million admissions worldwide.

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Jessica Forde / EUROPACORP – TF1 FILMS PRODUCTION – GRIVE PRODUCTIONS

A 10-YEAR OLD PROJECT

It took 10 years to Luc Besson so that Lucy becomes reality. The original idea was to make a science fiction film about intelligence and the use of our brain. The director therefore met scientists in order to discuss this subject with them and to prepare the film’s script as well as possible. He specifies : “Everyone knows this is cinema and therefore fake, but when you put in some real stuff and mix it all up, it all looks more real. That’s why I did this research, I wanted to have a real basis. But cinema is still entertainment, so I adapted it all to make it an entertaining film and a bit philosophical at the same time.“

It was the release of Avatar in 2010 that motivated Luc Besson to make a film of such magnitude. The latter told Europe 1 in October 2010: “When i did The fifth Element, I had technological tools that were already a bit obsolete. (…) With the arrival of digital, it’s incredible what we can do. You can imagine anything. “ And to carry this film, you had to find the perfect heroine.

The director, who met several actresses for the role, ultimately chose Scarlett Johansson, who loved the script. When the project was announced, rumors announced Angelina Jolie in the title role, but the director denied the information. Milla Jovovich would also have been considered but the latter, pregnant at the time of the castings, declined the offer.

Jessica Forde / EUROPACORP – TF1 FILMS PRODUCTION – GRIVE PRODUCTIONS

EXPERTS IN ORDER

Lucy having required more than 1000 special effects shots, the production decided to call on the best experts in the field: ILM (Industrial Light & Magic founded by George Lucas), located in the Presidio district of San Francisco. Oscar-winning Visual Effects Supervisor for Beyond Our Dreams Nicholas Brooks, who notably worked on Elusive and It: Chapter 2 led operations.

Sound effects and sound editing are by Guillaume Bouchateau (Jack et la Mécanique du Coeur, Les Immortels), Aymeric Devoldere (The Prodigies), and Shannon J. Mills, of Skywalker Sound, winner of four MPSE Golden Reel Awards for Best Editing sound for Avatar, Cars, Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Titanic. The film was mixed by Didier Lozahic (The Lady, Malavita), in collaboration with sound mixer David Parker (La Vengeance dans la peau, Le Patient anglais).

Jessica Forde / EUROPACORP – TF1 FILMS PRODUCTION – GRIVE PRODUCTIONS

WHAT ABOUT A SUITE?

After Lucy’s tidal wave at the box office, the question of a sequel quickly arose. According to a Variety article from June 2017, former Europacorp CEO Marc Shmuger announced that the studios “were actively preparing a sequel to Lucy“, and that Luc Besson had already written a screenplay. After the bitter failure of Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets, EuropaCorp attempted to implement a rebound strategy centered on the production of safe value, and a sequel to Lucy would have been part of it.

However, the French director denied this announcement by means of a long message against the press on his instagram account (account which has since been deleted), stating “No I am not preparing Lucy 2. Neither yesterday nor tomorrow“. Since the liquidation of the distribution branch of Europacorp in December 2018 and given the accusations of the actress Sand Van Roy, who accuses the filmmaker of rape, it is very unlikely that a sequel directed by Besson will see in the day.

Making-of “What if it was true?”