Will “Chien 51” Be the Year’s Biggest Sci-Fi Hit? Watch Gilles Lellouche, Adèle Exarchopoulos in Action!

Initially premiered at the closing of the Venice Film Festival, Cédric Jimenez’s “Dog 51” is emerging as one of the most awaited French films of the fall. It is not only one of the most expensive projects of the year, with an estimated budget of 40 million euros, but it also represents a significant gamble, presenting a sci-fi investigation in a transformed Paris.

The newly released trailer on September 16 showcases the ambition of this French blockbuster with its snippets of high-speed chases and scenes reminiscent of Steven Spielberg’s “Minority Report”.

What is the film about?

Based on the eponymous book by Laurent Gaudé, published by Actes Sud, the plot unfolds in a near-future Paris. The city is divided into three zones that separate social classes, with checkpoints regulating movement between them. An AI named Alma has revolutionized the policing system and control.

It recreates crime scenes and calculates the likelihood of guilt, thereby influencing various investigations. When Alma’s creator is murdered, Salia (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Zem (Gilles Lellouche), two cops from different zones, are forced to work together on the case.

A Blockbuster Made in France

Cédric Jimenez completes his trilogy on the world of policing with this film, which is radically different from his previous two. This time, the project is even more ambitious and aims to deliver a grand spectacle hoping to win over audiences, following the trend of recent French blockbusters like “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo”.

“We are using societal and technological trends that already exist,” Cédric Jimenez explained in Variety. “I wanted to make the film very realistic, to resonate with society today and engage the audience.”

Alongside Gilles Lellouche and Adèle Exarchopoulos, the cast of “Dog 51” includes notable actors such as Louis Garrel, Romain Duris, Artus, Daphné Patakia, Stéphane Bak, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi.

“Dog 51,” coming to theaters on October 15.