We have a few new images from The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol, the new movie from French animation icon Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville, The Illusionist) to kick off your weekend on a bright note. The film, which will be released in France on Oct. 15, 2025, will be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics in the U.S. probably in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Here is the 2D-animated movie’s official synopsis (French title: Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol)
“In 1955, 60-year-old Marcel Pagnol is a well-known and acclaimed playwright and filmmaker. When the editor in chief of ELLE Magazine commissions a weekly column about Pagnol’s childhood, he sees this as a great opportunity to go back to his artistic roots: writing.
Realizing his memory is failing him and deeply affected by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol starts doubting his ability to pursue his work. That is until Little Marcel — the young boy he used to be — appears to him as if by magic. Together, they will explore Marcel Pagnol’s incredible life, his successes and failures, his joys and sorrows.
The journey of an artist, from a young teacher in Provence to a true pioneer of talking movies. An exceptional inventor who built his own film studios and held out through WWII. A self-made man who never betrayed his free spirit or independence, even less his values and origins. A simple man and a bon vivant above all!”
Pagnol was a celebrated French novelist, playwright and filmmaker who grew up in a middle-class household in Marseille and became one of the world’s most inventive and prolific artists from the 1930s to the 1950s. His most popular movies included the Provence-set trilogy Marius, Fanny and César which reached more than 200 admissions worldwide. His books were also adapted into several acclaimed movies over the past decades, including Jean de Florette, Manon of the Springs, My Mother’s Castle, My Father’s Glory and The Well-Diggers Daughter.
The French production hails from Onyx Films, What The Prod, Bidibul Productions and Walking The Dog. Producers are Ashargin Poire and Valerie Puech for What the Prod; Co-producers are Lilian Eche’s Bidibul Productions, Adrian Politowski’s Align and Aton Soumache for ON Classics (Mediawan Kids & Family), in collaboration with Nicolas Pagnol from Pagnol’s Estate.
Chomet told Variety last year that he was “deeply inspired by Pagnol’s deep humanism, audacity and authenticity, and also drawn to the idea of telling the fabulous success story of this artist with a rich historical backdrop depicting the upheavals of the 20th century, notably the rise of fascism in Europe and World War II.”
Aton Soumache, president and founder of ON Classics added, “It truly is an honor to launch this great international movie with Sony Pictures Classics, who recognized the universality of this extraordinary fresco and all the international potential.”
Chomet recently directed the “Looney Tunes-inspired” animated opening title sequence for the new Todd Philipps DC feature, Joker: Folie à Deux. The Warner Bros. movie opened on Friday and is expected to bring in $47 million domestically this weekend.
Stay tuned: We have a feeling a new trailer for the animated Marcel Pagnol movie will be arriving this week!!!
Sources: Variety, Filmofilia.com (Images)
