The Last Duel (2020 film)
Our Story
The Last Duel is an upcoming historical drama-thriller film directed by Ridley Scott. Based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager, the screenplay is written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener. Damon stars in the lead role opposite Adam Driver and Jodie Comer, with Affleck in a supporting role. The film will release in limited theaters on December 25, 2020, before having a worldwide release on January 8, 2021.
Contents
1 Premise
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Release
5 References
6 External links
Premise
Former best friends Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris are ordered to fight to the death after Carrouges accuses Le Gris of raping his wife in 14th-century France.
Cast
Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges
Adam Driver as Jacques Le Gris
Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges
Ben Affleck as King Charles VI
Harriet Walter as Nicole de Buchard
Nathaniel Parker as Sir Robert D'Thibouville
Sam Hazeldine as Thomin du Bois
Production
The project was initially announced in July 2015, with Francis Lawrence planning to direct the film, and Shaun Grant writing the screenplay, however no further development was announced on it, and the film rights eventually lapsed.[1] It wasn't until July 2019 that it was announced Ridley Scott was planning to direct the film with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon set to star, as well as write the screenplay with Nicole Holofcener.[2] With Walt Disney Studios holding the rights to the film as a result of the Disney–Fox merger, it was unknown if the company would produce the film owing to its subject matter, however Deadline Hollywood wrote that "every studio in town was waiting in the wings" should Disney sell the rights.[3] In September, Jodie Comer entered negotiations to join the cast.[4] She would be confirmed the next month, with Adam Driver entering negotiations to join the film, after Affleck opted to play a different, supporting role.[5] Driver was confirmed in November, with Disney confirming it would distribute the film by setting a release date.[6] Harriet Walter was added to the cast in February 2020.[7]
Filming began on February 14, 2020 in Dordogne, France[8][9][10] and continued in March 2020 in the medieval castle of Berzé-le-Châtel (near Mâcon), Burgundy, France (with a film crew of 300 people including 100 extras).[11][12]
Filming should also have to take place in County Meath, Dublin, County Wicklow and Cahir Castle (in County Tipperary), Ireland in March 2020.[13]
However, on March 13, 2020, Disney announced that the studio had to delay the shoot indefinitely amid concerns for the cast and crew in light of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic as well as travel restrictions in Europe.[14]