Benoît Poelvoorde told Télé Loisirs that the script for “Podium 2” was being corrected. The sequel to the successful film by Yann Moix should therefore see the light of day.
In 2004, Benoît Poelvoorde played Bernard Frédéric, a double of Claude François in Podium by Yann Moix. A success at the box office, the feature film attracted 3.55 million spectators to French cinemas.
In the film, Bernard Frédéric prepares to participate, to the great displeasure of his wife (Julie Depardieu), in the competition for the Night of look-alikes, broadcast in prime time on a major channel. Caught between his desire for glory and real love for his wife, he will have to choose.
Inspired by the homonymous novel by Yann Moix (2002, Éditions Grasset), the film is also carried by Julie Depardieu and Jean-Paul Rouve who plays Couscous, a lookalike of Michel Polnareff.
Studiocanal Podium
In 2015, Yann Moix – who hasn’t directed anything since the failure of Cineman in 2008 – announced that he was working on a sequel to Podium.
The show’s former columnist We are not in bed by Laurent Ruquier then announced to the Belgian newspaper The evening that it would be “a totally original scenario, which will be the sequel to the first film.”
According to him, Podium 2 will give more importance to the character of Michel Polnareff. “But that does not mean that we will see less Benoît (Poelvoorde) than in the 1. It means that the character of Polnareff will have the same importance as Claude François in the first. In short, there will be as many Rouve as Poelvoorde.” But 8 years after this announcement, the project has, it seems, not advanced.
“No matter what, I’ll be in Podium 2”
Our colleagues from Entertainment TV recently asked Benoît Poelvoorde about it and according to the actor, the project is still on track. He states thus:
“I read the first draft of the screenplay. Currently, it is in the correction phase and I am therefore waiting for the second version. Whatever happens, I’ll be in it. But I can’t say more, because now, in French cinema, everything is confidential”.
It is not yet known when the filming will take place, but 20 years after the first film, Podium 2 should therefore see the light of day with Benoît Poelvoorde and Jean-Paul Rouve!
After Jean Dujardin, ready to find his emblematic character for a third film, Franck Dubosc who leaves the door open to Camping 4 and Les Inconnus who should meet again for the needs of Riad Sattouf’s film, French cinema seems to be capitalizing on the success of 2000s.