Luc Besson's 'Valerian' Is One of the Riskiest Indie Movies Ever

Luc Besson was one of the most prolific directors of the ‘90s, helming the inventive and [...]

By Joseph Schmidt

Luc Besson was one of the most prolific directors of the '90s, helming the inventive and successful hit films such as Nikita, The Professional, and The Fifth Element.

Though spent most of the aughts as a writer and producer of film franchises such as Taken and the Transporter, he made a triumphant splash with the sci-fi thriller Lucy starring Scarlett Johansson.

Now the director is returning with the sort of highly ambitious science fiction that made The Fifth Element a hit 20 years ago with a film based on his favorite graphic novel growing up, Valerian and Laureline.

But the film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets could prove to be the French director's riskiest project yet as it carries the distinction of being the most expensive film in France's history. It also carries a distinction of being the most expensive indie movie ever made in Europe, as most of the film's budget came from an investment from the country's National Center of Cinematography, an agency of the French Ministry of Culture.

Besson spoke about the risky project with Deadline and the pressure he feels over its potential success, which could potentially end his career.

"I have absolutely no trouble sleeping, because I never forget that it's only a film. I'm not a surgeon, saving lives," the director said. "I take my job very seriously, but I'm not taking myself seriously. It's only a film. The best I can have is people watch and after two hours they say, 'Oh my God, it was so fun. Oh, I want to see it again.' That's basically the best I can achieve, which is not going to change the face of the world. That's why I'm sleeping well. No one is asking me to do more than the best I can, and that is what I am doing."

Besson added that he never prepared for any film before in his career like he did for Valerian, which paid off as they finished the production early.

"Usually, these movies go over budget, but we finished early, and that's how prepped we were," Besson said. "We were on stages, so you can control the light, the weather, everything. The cast was so sweet, easy, no entourages. I must say also, the studio in Paris that we built was made for this kind of film. The ergonomics of it; the location of the lab, the editing room, the facilities, the gym, the rehearsal room, everything is so well fitted that you don't lose time, and you're not even tired. You go boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, all day long."

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets hits theaters July 21.

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS is the new adventure film from Luc Besson, the director of The Professional, The Fifth Element and Lucy, based on the comic book series which inspired a generation of artists, writers and filmmakers. In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha-an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

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