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IMDbPro

Luc Besson

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000170
Luc Besson
From his dynamic visuals to his comic-book influences, take a closer look at the trademarks of Luc Besson's directorial style.
Play clip1:23
A Guide to the Films of Luc Besson
13 Videos
69 Photos
Luc Besson spent the first years of his life following his parents, scuba diving instructors, around the world. His early life was entirely aquatic. He already showed amazing creativity as a youth, writing early drafts of The Big Blue (1988) and The Fifth Element (1997), as an adolescent bored in school. He planned on becoming a marine biologist specializing in dolphins until a diving accident at age 17 which rendered him unable to dive any longer. He moved back to Paris, where he was born, and only at age 18 did he first have an urban life or television. He realized that film was a medium which he could combine all his interests in various arts together, so he began taking odd jobs on various films. He moved to America for three years, then returned to France and formed Les Films de Loups - his own production company, which later changed its name to Les Films de Dauphins. He is now able to dive again.
BornMarch 18, 1959
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMarch 18, 1959
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000170
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 32 wins & 33 nominations total

    Photos69

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    Known for

    Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, and Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element (1997)
    The Fifth Element
    7.6
    • Writer
    • 1997
    Natalie Portman and Jean Reno in Léon: The Professional (1994)
    Léon: The Professional
    8.5
    • Writer
    • 1994
    Scarlett Johansson in Lucy (2014)
    Lucy
    6.4
    • Writer
    • 2014
    Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita (1990)
    La Femme Nikita
    7.3
    • Writer
    • 1990

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Writer



    • Dracula: A Love Tale
      • screenplay
      • Post-production
      • 2025
    • Lucy 2
      • Writer
      • In Development
    • Twice
      • co-writer
      • In Development
    • The Last Man
      • Writer
      • Pre-production



    • Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy in June and John (2025)
      June and John
      5.2
      • written by
      • 2025
    • Sung Kang, Wyatt Yang, Lun-Mei Gwei, and Luke Evans in Weekend in Taipei (2024)
      Weekend in Taipei
      5.7
      • written by
      • 2024
    • DogMan (2023)
      DogMan
      6.8
      • script
      • 2023
    • Marceau Ebersolt, Mikaël Halimi, Vadim Agid, Mathieu Berger, Yann Mendy, Jade Pedri, and Thalia Besson in Arthur, malédiction (2022)
      Arthur, malédiction
      3.3
      • scenario
      • 2022
    • Helen Mirren, Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Sasha Luss in Anna (2019)
      Anna
      6.7
      • screenplay
      • 2019
    • Clive Standen in Taken (2017)
      Taken
      6.6
      TV Series
      • based on the characters created by
      • 2017–2018
    • Bernard Farcy, Franck Gastambide, Malik Bentalha, and Anouar Toubali in Taxi 5 (2018)
      Taxi 5
      4.6
      • scenario
      • 2018
    • Arthur and the Minimoys (2017)
      Arthur and the Minimoys
      6.3
      TV Series
      • original idea
      • 2017–2018
    • Dimitri Leonidas, Sullivan Stapleton, Joshua Henry, Diarmaid Murtagh, and Charlie Bewley in American Renegades (2017)
      American Renegades
      5.5
      • written by
      • 2017
    • John Goodman, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Dane DeHaan, and Cara Delevingne in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
      Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
      6.4
      • screenplay by
      • 2017
    • Dave Bautista, Uriah Shelton, Mark Chao, and Ni Ni in Enter the Warriors Gate (2016)
      Enter the Warriors Gate
      5.4
      • written by
      • 2016
    • Ed Skrein in The Transporter Refueled (2015)
      The Transporter Refueled
      5.2
      • characters
      • written by
      • 2015
    • Liam Neeson in Taken 3 (2014)
      Taken 3
      6.0
      • characters
      • written by
      • 2014
    • Chris Vance in The Transporter (2012)
      The Transporter
      6.4
      TV Series
      • based on characters created by
      • 2012–2014
    • Scarlett Johansson in Lucy (2014)
      Lucy
      6.4
      • written by
      • 2014

    Producer



    • American Flagg!
      • executive producer
      • In Development
      • TV Series
    • Lucy 2
      • producer
      • In Development
    • Twice
      • producer
      • In Development
    • Down the Arm of God
      • producer
      • Post-production



    • Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy in June and John (2025)
      June and John
      5.2
      • producer
      • 2025
    • Sung Kang, Wyatt Yang, Lun-Mei Gwei, and Luke Evans in Weekend in Taipei (2024)
      Weekend in Taipei
      5.7
      • producer (produced by)
      • 2024
    • Rainbow Warrior (2023)
      Rainbow Warrior
      8.0
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Marceau Ebersolt, Mikaël Halimi, Vadim Agid, Mathieu Berger, Yann Mendy, Jade Pedri, and Thalia Besson in Arthur, malédiction (2022)
      Arthur, malédiction
      3.3
      • producer
      • 2022
    • Music Hole (2021)
      Music Hole
      6.2
      • co-producer
      • 2021
    • Helen Mirren, Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Sasha Luss in Anna (2019)
      Anna
      6.7
      • producer (produced by)
      • 2019
    • Colin Firth and Matthias Schoenaerts in The Command (2018)
      The Command
      6.6
      • executive producer
      • 2018
    • Bernard Farcy, Franck Gastambide, Malik Bentalha, and Anouar Toubali in Taxi 5 (2018)
      Taxi 5
      4.6
      • producer
      • 2018
    • Clive Standen in Taken (2017)
      Taken
      6.6
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2017–2018
    • Isabelle Huppert and Gaspard Ulliel in Eva (2018)
      Eva
      4.7
      • co-producer
      • 2018
    • Dimitri Leonidas, Sullivan Stapleton, Joshua Henry, Diarmaid Murtagh, and Charlie Bewley in American Renegades (2017)
      American Renegades
      5.5
      • producer
      • 2017
    • John Goodman, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Dane DeHaan, and Cara Delevingne in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
      Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
      6.4
      • producer
      • 2017
    • Dave Bautista, Uriah Shelton, Mark Chao, and Ni Ni in Enter the Warriors Gate (2016)
      Enter the Warriors Gate
      5.4
      • producer
      • 2016
    • Ed Skrein in The Transporter Refueled (2015)
      The Transporter Refueled
      5.2
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Liam Neeson in Taken 3 (2014)
      Taken 3
      6.0
      • producer
      • 2014

    Director



    • Dracula: A Love Tale
      • Director
      • Post-production
      • 2025
    • The Last Man
      • Director
      • Pre-production



    • Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy in June and John (2025)
      June and John
      5.2
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2025
    • DogMan (2023)
      DogMan
      6.8
      • Director
      • 2023
    • Helen Mirren, Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Sasha Luss in Anna (2019)
      Anna
      6.7
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2019
    • Cara Delevingne: I Feel Everything (2017)
      Cara Delevingne: I Feel Everything
      5.9
      Music Video
      • Director (uncredited)
      • 2017
    • John Goodman, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Dane DeHaan, and Cara Delevingne in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
      Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
      6.4
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Afflelou: Moi c'est Afflelou (2015)
      Afflelou: Moi c'est Afflelou
      4.7
      Video
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Scarlett Johansson in Lucy (2014)
      Lucy
      6.4
      • Director
      • 2014
    • Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron, and John D'Leo in The Family (2013)
      The Family
      6.3
      • Director
      • 2013
    • Michelle Yeoh in The Lady (2011)
      The Lady
      7.0
      • Director
      • 2011
    • Arthur and the Great Adventure (2010)
      Arthur and the Great Adventure
      6.5
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Mia Farrow, Penny Balfour, Ron Crawford, and Robert Stanton in Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (2010)
      Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
      5.5
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Louise Bourgoin in The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)
      The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
      6.3
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Kery James Feat. Béné: L'impasse
      5.5
      Music Video
      • Director
      • 2009
    • Mia Farrow, Snoop Dogg, Fergie, Penny Balfour, Gérard Darmon, Jimmy Fallon, Mylène Farmer, Freddie Highmore, Lou Reed, Robert Stanton, Omar Sy, Selena Gomez, Will.i.am, and Logan Miller in Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (2009)
      Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
      5.3
      • Director
      • 2009
    • Madonna in Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (2009)
      Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection
      8.3
      Video
      • Director (video "Love Profusion")
      • 2009

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos13

    A Guide to the Films of Luc Besson
    Clip 1:23
    A Guide to the Films of Luc Besson
    "Window" from From Paris with Love
    Clip 1:22
    "Window" from From Paris with Love
    "Window" from From Paris with Love
    Clip 1:22
    "Window" from From Paris with Love
    "Welcome to Paris" from From Paris with Love
    Clip 1:29
    "Welcome to Paris" from From Paris with Love
    The Origins of 'Valerian' and Its Influence on the Sci-Fi Movie Genre
    Clip 2:14
    The Origins of 'Valerian' and Its Influence on the Sci-Fi Movie Genre
    Luc Besson Answers Fan Questions
    Interview 2:21
    Luc Besson Answers Fan Questions
    Facebook Live Chat with Luc Besson
    Interview 35:41
    Facebook Live Chat with Luc Besson

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Height
      • 5′ 7¾″ (1.72 m)
    • Born
      • March 18, 1959
      • Paris, France
    • Spouses
        Virginie Besson-SillaAugust 28, 2004 - present (3 children)
    • Children
        Shanna Besson
    • Parents
      • Daniele Plane
    • Other works
      TV commercial: Directed L'Oreal commercial starring Milla Jovovich.
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Print Biography
      • 8 Interviews
      • 12 Articles
      • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 1977, Luc Besson was rejected by La Fémis, the national film school of France. Besson later told in interviews, that he was 18 years old, when he applied, and in a preliminary interview an administrator asked him which directors he most admired. Besson named Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Milos Forman, before the interviewer cut him off, saying: "That's enough. I don't think you belong here".
    • Quotes
      Cinema never saved anyone's life, it is not a medicine that will save anyone's life. It is only an aspirin.
    • Trademarks
        Often casts Jean Reno

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