Fans of Lady Oscar, the iconic 80s animated series, will be in heaven! Mappa Studio, the company behind Attack on Titan or Jujutsu Kaizen, has produced a feature film based on the famous 1972 manga by Ryoko Ikeda. The film bears the title of the original work: The Rose of Versailles.
Announced for September 2022, this new adaptation has finally been revealed with a dazzling trailer! As a reminder, the story takes us to the middle of the 18th century, in France, before and during the French Revolution. The story presents the Jarjayes family, whose father only dreams of having a boy. How disappointing when his wife gives birth to a beautiful little blonde girl.
However, this child will be named Oscar and will grow up to be a boy. His military training enabled him to become a captain in the Royal Guard. Oscar, who is responsible for protecting Marie-Antoinette, accompanied by his childhood friend Andre, will see his world change during the revolution.
The Rose of Versailles manga was created by artist and writer Ryoko Ikeda in 1972 and has 14 volumes. It was adapted into an anime in 1979 under the title Lady Oscar. First broadcast in September 1986 on the show Récré A2, the 40-episode series quickly became a huge success.
Additionally, Jacques Demy, the director of Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, produced the first live adaptation in English in 1978. Produced by Agnes Varda, this film version of Lady Oscar also features an original soundtrack composed by the late Michel Legrand, who regularly collaborated with the filmmaker.
A rarity at the time, this feature film was commissioned by Japanese producer Mataichiro Yamamoto, the owner of the manga rights. The latter chose Jacques Demme because of his mastery of the English language, but above all because a French director would greatly facilitate access to historical monuments. Unfortunately, this adaptation was not very well received by audiences and critics at the time.
Today, the team at Mappa once again takes control of this animated feature film, updating the story that has become iconic. This time, the director took the lead of this ambitious project: Yoshimura Ai. This is his first film as a film director.
Versailles Rose will arrive in Japan in spring 2025. As of now, no French release date has been announced, but it won’t be long! It’s hard to see an animated film about French history that avoids France’s borders.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
