Why No One Wanted to Make This French Action Saga That Drew 6.5 Million Viewers!

Today, “Taxi” is considered one of the great successes of French action cinema from the late 90s. However, its beginnings were anything but a surefire bet. Few producers believed in it, and even fewer saw its box-office potential.

Originally, Luc Besson was set to lead the film for Gaumont as both screenwriter and director. However, his schedule was not in his favor: he was fully engaged with “The Fifth Element,” an international blockbuster in the making.

Due to his packed schedule, Besson drafted the screenplay in record time. It tells the story of Daniel (Samy Naceri), a pizza delivery guy from Marseille who becomes a taxi driver in a souped-up Peugeot 406. Soon, he finds himself entangled with police officer Émilien (Frédéric Diefenthal) in a chase against a gang of German robbers known as the Mercedes Gang.

Production Concerns at Gaumont

The project quickly became more complex. Initially intended to be shot in Paris, the filming was moved to Marseille, as it was deemed easier to obtain permissions for car stunts there.

However, Gaumont began to accumulate doubts. The studio considered significant changes, including in casting, with names like Patrick Bruel and Vincent Perez suggested for the leading roles.

Besson’s Departure and Break with the Studio

A pivotal moment came when Luc Besson announced that he could not direct “Taxi” after all. He left the project to devote himself entirely to “The Fifth Element.”

The reaction was swift: Gaumont lost confidence and pulled out of the film. Despite this, Besson did not give up on the idea. Instead of abandoning the project, he decided to start from scratch. He partnered with Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, a former influential executive at Gaumont, and founded his own production company: EuropaCorp.

He then handed the directing reins to Gérard Pirès, who hadn’t directed a feature film since 1981 but had recently created a spectacular commercial for… Peugeot! A perfect nod to the central vehicle of the film.

A Renewed Cast and a Winning Bet

The decision was made to bet on new faces rather than established stars. Samy Naceri and Frédéric Diefenthal were chosen to lead the cast.

On the distribution side, ARP Sélection took over, while the soundtrack, entrusted to Akhenaton, also helped establish the film’s identity.

Released on April 8, 1998, “Taxi” exceeded all expectations with 6.5 million admissions in France. The success was such that it immediately launched a franchise: “Taxi 2” shattered records with 10 million admissions, followed by “Taxi 3” (6.1 million) and “Taxi 4” (4.5 million).

A saga born in doubt, but which became one of the biggest popular successes in French cinema. A saga to revisit on VOD.

AlloCiné offers daily over 40 articles on cinema and series news, interviews, streaming recommendations, and quirky, cinephile anecdotes about your favorite movies and series. Subscribing to AlloCiné on Google Discover ensures you explore the richness of a site designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts every day.