Every day, AlloCiné recommends a film to (re)watch on TV. Tonight: Tomer Sisley as comic book hero Largo Winch.
From 1990, the Belgian author Jean Van Hamme adapted his own “Largo Winch” novels into comics, in collaboration with his compatriot, the illustrator Philippe Francq. Shortly after, Serge Silberman, an important independent producer, wanted to bring them to the screen to compete with James Bond. But his death put an end to the project.
While Jérôme Salle has just come out of his first feature film – the thriller Anthony Zimmer -, his producer Nathalie Gastaldo informs him that the rights are free. Seduced by their ambition, both budgetary and artistic, Jean Van Hamme gives them up.
With his screenwriter Julien Rappeneau, Jérôme Salle decides to focus on the first two albums, which deal with subjects that particularly affect them, such as the quest for identity, while also drawing elements of financial intrigue from the following albums. The film therefore presents the protagonist who has become heir to the economic empire of his father found drowned, at the same time as he is imprisoned for drug trafficking in the Amazon, despite his innocence.
It could not be more thorny, the choice of the main actor is Tomer Sisley. Little known to the general public at the time, the latter invested himself fully in his performance (he learned Serbian and performed the majority of his stunts himself), which earned him the award of the Golden Star of the Male revelation.
Released in 2008, Largo Winch is a success. Worthy of being made in Hollywood, the film attracts 1.7 million spectators in France. The actor signs three years later with the same team for a new adventure of the billionaire hero in Largo Winch II, alongside the American actress Sharon Stone for the occasion.
Largo Winch by Jérôme Salle with Tomer Sisley, Kristin Scott Thomas, Predrag ‘Miki’ Manojlovic…
From 10 years old
Tonight on TFX at 9:05 p.m.