The Yellow Sign most expensive Belgian film project of all time | Film adaptations

Since 1985 there have been a lot of film plans based on the adventure The Yellow Sign by Blake and Mortimer to transfer to the cinema. Then was Edgar P. Jacobs still involved in a possible film adaptation. It was his explicit request to introduce a Eurasian or Asian feminine touch. Under the title M it would happen several times after that, including with the Chinese actress Gong Li (Mulan, The Red Wheatfield, Miami Vice, Hannibal Rising) in the role of Professor Septimus, James Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Person of Interest) as Olrik or Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat, A Knight’s Tale, TheHoliday, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Father, Old) as Blake. A new announcement recently followed. And this project seems more concrete, because the recordings should take place this winter for a planned release during the Christmas holidays of 2025.

The Belgian film distributor and producer Belga Films Group contributes to an English-language film adaptation such as The Yellow M. Fransman is responsible for directing Cedric Nicolas-Troyan indicated. Nicolas-Troyan made his mark in the film world in the visual effects department for films such as Assassin(s), Paparazzi, One Hour Photo, TheRing, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Maleficent. For his work on Snow White and the Huntsman he received an Oscar nomination. Of The Huntsman: Winter’s War and Kate he filmed his first films as a director. In French the Netflixseries Furies. He grew up with the comic series. Patrick Vandenboschthe CEO of Belga Films Group, is enthusiastic about the film adaptation of the comic classic: “Fans can be sure that The Yellow M will be a cinematic spectacle, with a smart, entertaining and visually inventive new chapter that is sure to captivate a wide audience.”

An invoice of 25 to 30 million euros has been made for the budget. This makes the film the most expensive Belgian film project of all time. Raising that budget is currently in full swing. 5 million should come from the Belgian Tax Shelter, an internationally known financially beneficial system for film and TV productions on the condition that there is also a Belgian contribution. Between half a million and 1.5 million euros is normally raised by regional investment funds in the audiovisual sector, such as Wallimage, screen.brussels and Screen Flanders. The filmmakers are also counting on the cooperation of TV channels, streaming platforms and others. The largest part must come from international sales, the international distribution rights for one or more territories. About 15 million euros of this has already been raised, purely based on the fame of the comic and the film script. It is explicitly aimed at an audience aged 16 to 34, yet significantly younger than the average reader of Blake and Mortimer.

Dutchman Jan Kounen (Flight of the Storks, Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinskybut also known as the director of the flopped Blueberryfilm from 2004) has together with Jay Ferguson the scenario written down. This was done according to an approach similar to comic film adaptations Marvel and D.C reminiscent, according to Belga Films Group. Nicolas-Troyan made edits to it. For the cast it is British Kate Rhodes James (Napoleon, House of the Dragon) responsible, but it is not yet known who will play Blake and Mortimer. They will certainly be British names of the first category, A-listers. This would also apply to the other main characters: Olrik, Septimus and the new female character Nina. At the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, which starts on May 14, Belga Films hopes to be able to present one or a few names. At the same time, it should help to convince even more international markets for the distribution rights. According to Patrick Vandenbosch, several actors’ agents are “very fond” of the project.

Vandenbosch also assumes that sales of the comic series, which is already one of the best-selling European comic series with hundreds of thousands of copies per new album, will increase even more after the film. At the same time, it should result in more merchandising. “If all the planets align, we hope for a receipt of more than 150 million euros worldwide,” he calculated. L’Echo out. “This could make us consider adapting other albums or series spin-offs, given the richness of the storylines and characters,” he added.

Originally, Jacobs himself was quite explicitly influenced by films The Yellow Sign to create. He got his inspiration from the film MadLove from 1935, in turn based on the novel Les Mains d’Orlac by Maurice Renard. Several comic scenes correspond seamlessly with scenes from the film: the train accident, Septimus’ hypnotic powers, moments of madness,… Ma 1931 film by the German expressionist director Fritz Lang is also the basis of The Yellow Signfor example the scene in which protagonist Peter Lorre gets an “M” for “Murderer” chalked on his mantle.