Five years of work for eight episodes. France 2 is launching a European blockbuster by broadcasting the first three episodes of the series on Monday evening. Around the world in 80 days. This famous adaptation of Jules Vern’s novel was born from the alliance of several groups and public channels: France Télévisions, the German ZDF and the Italian Raï. The episodes follow the adventures of three heroes: the British gentleman Fogg, played by the actor by David Tennant (Broadchurch, Dr Who), the journalist Fix, played by Leonie Benesch and the valet Passepartout, who takes the features of the French actor Ibrahim Koma.
“It is Around the world in 80 days, it’s Jules Verne. So we know that it will not go unnoticed, that it will pass around the world. A chance like that, it does not happen every day “, rejoices Ibrahim Koma at the microphone of Europe 1.” I have been doing this job for 20 years and this is the first time that it has happened to me. So I’m working really hard, even harder than usual. I watched series to work on my English and my pronunciation, I reread the scripts a lot and received new versions every week, I worked every day from 8 am to midnight. “
A version “much more current” and “anchored in reality”
Don’t expect an adaptation modeled on Jules Verne’s novel. It is a modernized version which is offered on France 2, in particular by putting a female character among the heroes. In the book, Fix is a policeman. In the series, she is the first female journalist of the Daily Telegraph. A character as adventurous as his traveling companions, if not more. Clever, she pulls them out of many situations.
The other characters are also going through some changes. And this is particularly what pleased the actor Ibrahim Koma. “We have a Fogg who, instead of being a genius who solves everything in a fraction of a second, has faults, is not sure of himself. We have a Passepartout more quick-witted than in the book”, he observes. “This version is much more current, universal, and grounded in reality. You are taken by the story and the adventure, there is the action. It feels like watching an Indiana Jones.”
The first three episodes of Around the world in 80 days are broadcast Monday evening at 9:05 p.m. on France 2.