2026’s Most Anticipated French Thriller! Watch Pierre Niney in “Gourou” Trailer Now!

Over a year and a half after “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo,” Pierre Niney is back on the big screen with “Gourou,” the latest collaboration with director Yann Gozlan. The pair have previously worked together on “Un homme idéal” in 2014 and “Boîte noire,” which earned Niney a César Award nomination for Best Actor in 2022.

In “Gourou,” Niney portrays Matt, France’s most popular personal development coach. In a society obsessed with individual achievement and searching for meaning, he offers his followers a cathartic experience that both electrifies audiences and alarms the authorities. Under intense scrutiny, Matt plunges into a reckless spiral that pushes him to the brink of madness and possibly fame.

The recently unveiled first images suggest a tense thriller brimming with suspense. In the brief teaser, Pierre Niney transforms into a coach with the demeanor of an influencer, and the plot quickly shifts to darker tones. The film also features Marion Barbeau, known for her role in Cédric Klapisch’s “En Corps,” as well as Anthony Bajon, and Holt McCallany from “Mindhunter.”

A Brainchild of Pierre Niney

Besides starring as the titular guru, Pierre Niney is also co-producing the film. WY Productions and Ninety Films are collaborating on this venture. The original concept was Niney’s idea, which he developed with Yann Gozlan and co-screenwriter Jean-Baptiste Delafon (“D’argent et de sang,” “Baron Noir”).

In an interview with Variety last May, Niney shared, “This is a project that has been brewing in my mind for a long time. The initial idea was to explore the ability to electrify crowds through speech, to induce a trance-like state and to seize control.”

He cites Tom Cruise in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Magnolia,” Paul Dano in “There Will Be Blood,” and the film “Nightcrawler” with Jake Gyllenhaal as some of his inspirations. “Although it’s more about modern voyeurism, I am deeply fascinated by these kinds of characters,” he added.

In the film, Niney’s character is named Matthieu Vasseur, a name previously used by his characters in “Un homme idéal” and “Boîte noire.” This is a subtle way for the director to intricately link his films together.

“Gourou” is slated for release in theaters on January 28th.