We can never get enough of The Count of Monte Cristo, apparently; the last adaptation came out just last year. But we can also never get enough of Regé-Jean Page (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, pictured above), who is set to star in a new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ famous novel. Page will also produce the film via his company A Mighty Stranger.
The story follows a sailor, Edmond Dantès, who is unjustly sentenced to lifelong imprisonment—but who instead escapes, intending to seek revenge on the men who imprisoned him. It is a very long book; here’s how one publisher summarizes it:
In the post-Napoleonic era, a young sailor from Marseilles is poised to become captain of his own ship and marry his beloved. But jealous enemies provoke his arrest, condemning Edmond Dantès to lifelong imprisonment in the infamous Château d’If. There, his sole companion reveals his secret plan to escape, as well as the location of a trove of riches hidden on a remote island. Determined to avenge himself against the men that conspired to destroy him, the newly free Edmond uses the treasure to forge a mysterious and powerful new identity: the Count of Monte Cristo.
The new adaptation has Patrick Ness attached as writer; Ness is the author of the excellent YA dystopia The Knife of Never Letting Go and its sequels, the adult novel The Crane Wife, and many other works. He was also a writer on the Doctor Who spinoff Class.
In a statement shared with Deadline, Page said, “Working alongside incredible collaborators, A Mighty Stranger is building a slate of creative-led projects that will broaden the cultural lens through pure entertainment. That’s why we’re so excited to be bringing The Count Of Monte Cristo to global audiences, unlocking the depths of Dumas’ work in ways not seen yet.”
No additional casting or release date has been announced.
