France’s official adaptation of a legendary story has secured a release date, as the new version ofThe Count of Monte Cristowill be released just in time for Christmas in the United States.Varietyexclusively revealed that the film will be released in U.S. markets on December 20th, which makes the film eligible for Academy Awards consideration right before the cut-off. Speaking of awards, Samuel Goldwyn Films is reportedly hoping for the U.S. release to kickstart an awards season campaign for the film, with the likely hopes being thatThe Count of Monte Cristowill qualify for numerous Academy Awards including Best Picture.
For those who aren’t familiar with the classic story byThe Three MusketeerscreatorAlexandre Dumas,The Count of Monte Cristois widely considered to be one of the most important and influential French novels ever written. The story follows the tale of vengeance of Edmond Dantès (Pierre Niney) - an innocent man who is sentenced to life in prison under false pre-tense. This tragic turn of events is the result of a sadistic ploy from three separate individuals, all three of whom decide to make Edmond’s life a living hell for their own twisted reasons. Desperate to see these individuals face justice for their crimes, Edmond escapes from his prison after over a decade and begins to hunt down the men who ruined his life under the vigilante guise of “The Count of Monte Cristo.”
The New ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ Adaptation Has Gotten Rave Reviews So Far
Being almost 200 years old, there have been several adaptations ofThe Count of Monte Cristoover the years. That said, if the early response to the 2024 version is any indication, then directorsAlexandre de La PatellièreandMatthieu Delaportemay have crafted one of the best adaptations of the classic story yet. Since premiering at the recentCannes Film Festival(where the film received a lengthy standing ovation),The Count of Monte Cristois currently sitting at a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 100% at the time of this writing.
The new adaptation’s success doesn’t end with the critical reception either. Prior to the film’s release in the U.S. and other major markets,The Count of Monte Cristohas already grossed $75 million worldwide. It’s no wonder why the critically acclaimed movie is among the four films selected by France to be the country’s official submission to the Academy Awards.
The Count of Monte Cristodebuts in theaters on Friday, December 20th. Until then,the also beloved 2002 adaptation ofThe Count of Monte Cristois available to stream on Hoopla.
The Count of Monte Cristo
A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous “friend”, escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge.
