Arthur, malédiction

Did You Know?

• Principal photography began in secret in the summer 2020 in Normandy, between the first and second lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, and lasted 33 days.
• Filming took place at the Château des Laitiers, owned by Luc Besson, where Arthur and the Minimoys and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc were also filmed.
• A Blu-ray edition was planned but was canceled without explanation.

Plot

A group of eight children, including Alex, Samantha, Jean, Mathilde, Renata, Maxime, Douglas, and Dominique, get together to watch the Arthur film trilogy. During the viewing, young Alex says he wants to become a Minimoy. A decade later, now eighteen, Alex puts on a disguise as Arthur to avoid the police. Meanwhile, his friends Jean, Mathilde, Renata, Maxime, Douglas, and Dominique get ready for his birthday party. Samantha shows up dressed as Princess Selenia, which surprises Alex. They enjoy cake and gifts together. After that, they rewatch the films and learn that their acquaintances Momo and Pilou have located the house that served as a movie set. Filled with excitement, the group sets off to find it.

On the road, odd things start happening. In a small, quiet town, the residents watch them closely. Later, a man living in a house, accompanied by his dogs, warns them about the dangerous area and fires his gun to frighten them off, forcing the friends to dash back to their vehicle. They keep going and find a path toward the house, but a fallen tree blocks their way. Leaving the car, they proceed on foot while Renata ties ribbons to mark the route. Inside the house, they come across film props and a hatch that opens to a basement. Upstairs, they find camping gear left by Momo and Pilou. Maxime and Dominique head up to join the others, while Alex and Samantha go down to the basement. There they find a door that is blocked, so they decide to meet back with the group. Jean gives everyone a fright by appearing in full character makeup from the films. The friends set up camp near the house and spend a pleasant evening. Alex and Samantha admit their feelings for each other and kiss. That night, Alex has a nightmare in which he, Momo, and Pilou are attacked. He wakes up and sees lights in the distance, but when he calls out, nobody answers.

Reception

In France, the film obtained an average score of 1.8 out of 5 on the Allociné site, which lists five press titles. Few press outlets reviewed the film, reflecting a lack of enthusiasm for this installment. Le Parisien gave a positive review, stating it "takes its time to raise the tension and does not overbid, but the result is entertaining and effective." Les Inrockuptibles gave a negative review but noted the film has "a certain audacity" and can "call itself unprecedented." Écran Large and Télérama were both derisive, with Écran Large calling it "the absolute renunciation of everything that founded [Luc Besson's] cinema," and Télérama describing it as "a killing game as imaginative as a credit card receipt."

Controversies

After its release, students from Luc Besson’s film school, Cité du Cinéma, reported being asked to work on the film without pay or credit. One former student described risks and mistreatment under Besson, accusing him of exploiting their lack of experience. On Twitter, alumnus and assistant director Arthur Reudet noted that Arthur, malédiction closely resembled a 2017 short film he directed, based on the same script and starring Besson’s daughter Shannah.