First Look at Dog 51: The French Sci-Fi Movie Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2025!

Following the success of “Crazy Love” in 2024, which drew 4.7 million viewers, one of the most anticipated films of 2025 will star Adèle Exarchopoulos and Gilles Lellouche. Lellouche returns to acting alongside his co-star and will share the screen with a notable cast including Louis Garrel, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Artus, and Thomas Bangalter (from Daft Punk).

Romain Duris is also on the cast list, stepping in for Xavier Dolan, who was previously announced as part of the film.

The film in question is “Dog 51,” directed by Cédric Jimenez (known for “North Brigade,” “November”). Hugo Sélignac, who also produced “Crazy Love,” is producing this film.

The magazine Première revealed the first photo from the film in an online article and in its latest issue now available at newsstands.

Première managed to gather some details from the director, Cédric Jimenez. Regarding the adaptation of Laurent Gaudé’s novel, he notes: “The universe and characters are still there, but we’ve shifted away from the book by focusing more on the crime plot and adding elements, including this artificial intelligence that isn’t in the novel.”

“An enhanced present with a definite dystopian dimension”

Première adds that the director prefers to avoid the label “science fiction,” instead describing it as “an enhanced present with a definite dystopian dimension.” He elaborates: “It’s not Minority Report; the AI does not predict crimes.“

The plot unfolds over two weeks: “It’s very compact and fast-paced.”

A futuristic thriller in Paris

The show “Beau Geste” on France 2 also had access to the film’s behind-the-scenes and visited a shooting location in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

It’s “a futuristic thriller where artificial intelligence assists the police in quashing a rebellion. Any resemblance to reality…”, notes journalist Pierre Lescure in voice-over. In his interview, Cédric Jimenez explains: “We are close to today, but with a pessimistically augmented or evolved version.“

Adèle Exarchopoulos plays an elite officer, and Gilles Lellouche, “a disillusioned old cop, former addict, somewhat cynical“, who finds himself charmed by Exarchopoulos’s character. “It gives him a sort of second wind, a renewal, a quest, and even an ideal“, adds Lellouche.

During a promotional event for the film “Planet B,” another French sci-fi film (in theaters December 25 next), Adèle Exarchopoulos shared: “It’s set in the near future, involving an extensive investigation. Paris is divided into three“.

The “Beau Geste” report promises action-packed scenes. The first images released showcase a chase and gunfire at a rave party, featuring 300 extras, dancers, and nocturnal creatures…

References to Minority Report, Children of Men, and Strange Days

“This film synthesizes much of what I’ve done in previous films. It was also almost a desire to close a ‘police trilogy’“. The theme involves “the machine versus the individual, here it’s artificial intelligence serving the state“. Cédric Jimenez cites Children of Men and Strange Days as references.

It’s revealed that the film’s budget is very high, matching that of “The Count of Monte Cristo” at 35 million euros.

The release date for “Dog 51” is set for October 15, 2025. Filming has just concluded this December 2024.