Luc Bessonhas a rather unique filmography. While some of the films he’s written and/or directed, includingThe ProfessionalandTaken, have become staples in pop culture, other films -particularlyValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets- are better tossed and left in the dustbin of history. Among his work, many consider Besson’s crowning achievement to beThe Fifth Element, starringBruce Willisas a soldier turned cab driver who winds up protecting a mysterious girl (Milla Jovovich) who is literally the key to stopping a dark force from engulfing the universe.The Fifth Elementdelivered a universe that was unlike anything else in science fiction at the time, both in terms of visual appeal and lore. It also had some great performances as Willis lends equal parts heart and snark to his cosmic cabbie Korben Dallas, while Jovovich’s Leeloo runs through a gauntlet of emotions.The Fifth Elementwound up landing Besson in hot waterwhen he was sued on the groundsthat it bore more than a passing resemblance toAlejandro JodorowskyandJean ‘Moebius’ Giraud’sgroundbreaking graphic novelThe Incal.
The Fifth Element
What Is ‘The Incal’ About?
The Incalwas born out ofJodorowsky’s failed attemptto adaptDuneto the big screen; he had hired Moebius as one of the storyboard artists, then started working with him onThe Incal.The Incaltells the story of John Difool, a private investigatorwho comes into the possession of an extremely powerful crystal called the Light Incal. Difool ends up in a madcap dash to keep the Light Incal away from various warring factions, aided by a group of eclectic companions including his trusty concrete seagull, Deepo.The Incaland its sequelsBefore The Incal(illustrated byZoran Janjetov) andFinal Incal(illustrated byJosé Ladrönn) are regarded as some of the best stories in the comic book industry; Rolling Stone even ranked it on its “50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels” list in 2019. It’s not hard to see why; Jodorwsky’s script dealt with a number of themes filtered through a sci-fi lens, includingdiscovering one’s place in life, while Moebius' artworkis a visual spectaclethat practically demands to be seen in person.
Over the years,plenty of attempts have been made to adaptThe Incalinto film form.Nicolas Winding Refnwas rumored to be at the helm of an adaptation in 2014, but he later dismissed it in 2016. There was alsoa crack at an animated versionthat never made it to the big screen. In 2021,The IncalpublisherLes Humanoïdes Associés (or Humanoids) announced thatTaika Waititiwould be co-writing and directingan adaptation ofThe Incal; Jodorwsky later confirmed the news on Twitter. Given that Waititi’s adapted comics to the screen before withThor: RagnarokandThor: Love and Thunder, not to mention works likeJojo Rabbitthat combined his offbeat sense of humor with heavy themes,The Incalfelt like it was a perfect fit for his sensibilities.
Luc Besson Was Sued Over ‘The Fifth Element’ - And Won
Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebiuswound up suing Bessonbecause they believe he lifted visual and plot details wholesalefromThe Incalwhen craftingThe Fifth Element.Like Difool, Korben is a down-on-his-luck regular joe who ends up getting thrust into a galaxy-spanning quest. There’s a mystical element at play;The Incalhas a crystal, whileThe Fifth Elementchooses to make its “element” take human form.Ultimately, the case was thrown outdue to the fact thatThe Fifth Elementonly used “tiny fragments” ofThe Incal’s story, rather than copying it wholesale. There’s also the fact thatMoebius had actually contributed concept arttoThe Fifth Elementwhile it was in production and a number of films, includingBlade RunnerandThe Matrixhave drawn on his visual style. With this in mind, it’s not surprising thatThe Fifth Elementwould also draw similar inspiration from Moebius' work.
TheIncalcase wasn’t the only time Besson went to court. When it came toThe Fifth Element,Besson sued advertising agency Publicis and mobile phone company SFR for utilizing an adthat featured a mysterious red-headed womanplayed by none other than Jovovich, and argued that the ad was “parasitic” and could “hinder the film.” Similar to the Incal case,John Carpenterwould successfully win a court case against Besson in 2012, when he pointed out how Besson’s action thrillerLockoutpulled quite a bit fromEscape in New York. More recently, Besson also went to court overmore serious matters of sexual assault, but was cleared of the charges.
The Fifth Elementis available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
Watch on Hulu
