Ladj Ly, the French filmmaker whose bold feature debut “Les Misérables” won the jury prize at Cannes in 2019 and earned an Oscar nomination, is set to write and direct “Dumas: Black Devil.” The epic film is being produced by Dimitri Rassam‘s Chapter 2 (a Mediawan company) and Pathé, the makers of French box office hit “The Count of Monte Cristo” and two-part adventure saga “The Three Musketeers.”
“Dumas: Black Devil” will also be produced by Srab Films, which has been behind all of Ly’s movies, including “Les Misérables.” Pathé will distribute the movie and handle international sales. Although the budget has not been unveiled, it’s expected to be one of the most ambitious French projects to go into production in 2025. The cast will include major French and international stars.
Ly will adapt the lesser-known story of Thomas Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie Dumas, who was born a Caribbean slave in 1762 and beat the odds by rising through the ranks to become a revolutionary French general. The son of a nobleman, Marquis Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, and an African slave, Marie-Cessette Dumas, he became the first and highest-ranking Black leader in the French military and served under Napoleon Bonaparte. But despite his many exploits, which earned him the nickname of “Black Devil,” his role in the French Revolution was underplayed and he was even denied a full pension and legion of honor by Bonaparte.
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General Dumas’ heroic achievements and tumultuous life inspired his son, the famous French author Alexandre Dumas, to pen his literary masterpieces “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte-Cristo.” Although he was not even 4 years old when he father died of stomach cancer, Alexandre Dumas cherished his legacy.
Ly said, “I was immediately captivated by the story of Dumas, the first Black general in the French army. I can’t wait to bring this story to the big screen, as it will reveal a forgotten part of our history.” The helmer, who started his career making documentaries and made a big splash at Cannes with his feature debut “Les Misérables,” has always been compelled to tell stories revolving around underdog characters fighting the status quo.
Chapter 2 and Pathé are still hot off “The Count of Monte Cristo,” the sprawling movie directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière which world premiered out of competition at Cannes and has so far sold over 9 million tickets in France since opening on June 28. It ranks as 2024’s second highest-grossing local language film — a rare feat for a French costume movie that isn’t a comedy.
Instead of immediately embarking on a sequel to “The Count of Monte Cristo,” Rassam, a history buff who presides over Chapter 2, said he was compelled to shed light on the source of Dumas’ lifelong inspiration.
“Whilst diving into Alexandre Dumas’ work, I stumbled upon the story of his father, the General Dumas. I was taken aback by the absolutely extraordinary life journey of and quite surprised it wasn’t more well known,” said Rassam, adding that “it felt evident that Ladj Ly would be the perfect match to bring to the screen this story, which deserves a movie as complex and fascinating as General Dumas was.”
After “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo,” Rassam said “honoring the legacy of the Dumas’ family has taken an even greater importance” and “‘Dumas: Black Devil’ has all the ingredients for the making of an extremely compelling movie.”
Ardavan Safaee, Pathé Films president, said Ly’s “unique artistic vision” will “bring to life the extraordinary story of General Dumas, a forgotten figure in French history.”
“This cinematic journey will not only celebrate our rich heritage but also resonate with universal themes of courage, honor and justice,” said Safaee, who added that the ambitious project “embodies Pathé Films’ commitment to showcasing authentic French stories with global appeal.”
“This new project will delve into the genesis of Alexandre Dumas by exploring the life of General Dumas, whose uniquely remarkable actions would later contribute to shaping the narratives that have forged our literary history,” Safaee continued.
Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral, producers and co-founders of Srab Films, said they looked forward to pursuing “their partnership with Ladj Ly” who will bring his “unique vision” to the project and will be “exploring new cinematic frontiers.”
“We are pleased to be embarking on this adventure with Chapter 2 and Pathé to bring this incredible story to the widest audience,” Ayadi and Barral concluded.
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