The Beast/La Bête is scheduled to have its world premiere in official competition at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival on September 3, and the first poster for Bertrand Bonello's (The Dam, Zombie Child) sci-fi tinged romantic drama has been released online.
The one-sheet doesn't exactly give us much to go on, but when you have Léa Seydoux as your star, there are worse ways to promote your film than by focusing on her face!
Based on Henry James' 1903 novella The Beast in the Jungle, The Beast is set in the near future where emotions have become a threat. A woman, Gabrielle, finally decides to purify her DNA in a machine that will plunge her into her past lives and rid her of all strong feelings. She then meets Louis and feels a powerful connection, as if she had always known him.
The story unfolds over three distinct periods: 1910, 2014 and 2044.
Bonello co-wrote the film with Guillaume Bréaud and Benjamin Charbit.
Gaspard Ulliel was originally in line for the male lead, but when he tragically died as the result of a skiing accident last year, George McKay was brought in to take over.
The rest of the cast includes Guslagie Malanda as Poupée Kelly, Dasha Nekrasova as Dakota, Martin Scali as Georges, Elina Löwensohn as Clairvoyant, Marta Hoskins as Gina, Julia Faure as Sophie, Kester Lovelace as Tom, Félicien Pinot as Augustin, Laurent Lacotte as Architect, Weronika Szawarska as Veronica, and Jasmine Van Deventer
The Beast is set to hit theaters in France next February, but hasn't been given an international release date yet. Hopefully, we'll see a trailer before the Venice premiere.