Netflix Acquires Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague for Record $4 Million

CANNES, France — Netflix has secured the rights to Richard Linklater‘s latest film, Nouvelle Vague, for a record-breaking $4 million. The deal comes after the movie’s successful debut at the Cannes Film Festival two weekends ago, where it received a warm reception from audiences.

Nouvelle Vague is a black-and-white homage to the influential French film Breathless, directed by Jean-Luc Godard. It explores the story behind the classic film, focusing on a doomed romance between an idealistic Frenchman and an American woman. French actor Guillaume Marbeck stars as Godard, with Zoey Deutch portraying Jean Seberg and newcomer Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Linklater, known for his works such as Boyhood and Before Midnight, shot Nouvelle Vague in the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, mimicking the filmmaking style of the era. Critics have praised the film’s ability to capture the spirit of the French New Wave. Pete Hammond, a critic for Deadline, described it as a “splendid love letter” to cinema that could resonate well during the awards season.

The film features iconic figures of cinema such as Jean Cocteau, Robert Bresson, and Agnes Varda, weaving their influence into the narrative of Godard’s creative process. Following its premiere, the audience at the Palais reportedly gave the film a standing ovation, raising expectations for its awards potential.

The highly anticipated film, scripted by Vince Palmo, Michèle Halberstadt, Laetitia Masson, and Holly Gent, is set for distribution in France this fall by ARP Selection. Netflix plans to give it an awards-qualifying theatrical run of two weeks, similar to other recent foreign-language films. The acquisition marks another triumph for Netflix, which aims to expand its slate of critical-darling films.

Linklater’s previous work with Netflix was on the romantic crime comedy Hit Man, and his latest acquisition signals the powerful presence of foreign-language storytelling in the current cinematic landscape.