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Luc Besson

Writer

Luc Besson

Born March 18, 1959 in Paris, France67 films

Luc Besson (born March 18, 1959) is a French director, writer, and producer, known for making highly visual thriller and action films.  Besson has received numerous awards and honors, and is often credited as inventing the so-called "Cinema du look" movement in French film. He is best known for directing the action films Léon: The Professional (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), and Lucy (2014), and also produced the Taken (2008–2014) and Transporter (2002–2015) franchises.

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Born in Paris, Besson spent his childhood traveling Europe with his parents and developing an enthusiasm for ocean diving, before an accident would push him toward the world of cinema. After taking odd jobs in the Parisian film scene of the time, Besson began writing stories that would eventually evolve into some of his greatest film successes: The Fifth Element and Le Grand Bleu.

In 1980 he founded his own production company, Les Films du Loup later Les Films du Dauphin, and later still EuropaCorp film company with his longtime collaborator, Pierre-Ange Le Poga.

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The best way into Luc Besson's work
Léon: The Professional posterFirst watchLéon: The Professional19948.3Léon, the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Fifth Element poster7.6The Fifth Element1997Taken poster7.4Taken2008Lucy poster6.5Lucy2014Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets poster6.7Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets2017The Transporter poster6.7The Transporter2002Dogman poster7.8Dogman2023Taken 2 poster6.4Taken 22012The Big Blue poster7.4The Big Blue1988

Filmography

67 films
  1. TBATiti l'extra-terrestreScreenplay
  2. TBAThe Last ManScreenplay
  3. TBALucy 2Writer
  4. TBADisorderScreenplay
  5. 2027Father JoeWriter
  6. 2026PlaygroundIdea
  7. 2025DraculaScreenplay
  8. 2025June and JohnScreenplay
  9. 2024Weekend in TaipeiWriter
  10. 2023DogmanWriter
  11. 2022Arthur: MaledictionWriter
  12. 2019AnnaWriter
  13. 2018Taxi 5Scenario Writer
  14. 2017RenegadesWriter
  15. 2017Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsWriter
  16. 2016The Warriors GateWriter
  17. 2015The Transporter RefueledCharacters
  18. 2014Taken 3Screenplay
  19. 2014LucyWriter
  20. 2014Brick MansionsScreenplay
  21. 20143 Days to KillStory
  22. 2013The FamilyScreenplay
  23. 2013A Prince (almost) CharmingWriter
  24. 2012Taken 2Screenplay
  25. 2012LockoutWriter
  26. 2012Blind ManOriginal Story
  27. 2011ColombianaScreenplay
  28. 2010Arthur 3: The War of the Two WorldsWriter
  29. 2010The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-SecScreenplay
  30. 2010From Paris with LoveStory
  31. 2009Arthur, the 4D AdventureWriter
  32. 2009Arthur and the Revenge of MaltazardWriter
  33. 2009District 13: UltimatumScreenplay
  34. 2008Transporter 3Screenplay
  35. 2008TakenWriter
  36. 2007Taxi 4Screenplay
  37. 2006Arthur and the InvisiblesWriter
  38. 2006BandidasWriter
  39. 2005Angel-AScreenplay
  40. 2005RevolverAdaptation
  41. 2005Transporter 2Characters
  42. 2005UnleashedAuthor
  43. 2004District B13Screenplay
  44. 2004TaxiOriginal Film Writer
  45. 2004Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the ApocalypseWriter
  46. 2003Michel VaillantScreenplay
  47. 2003Fan-Fan the TulipWriter
  48. 2003Taxi 3Screenplay
  49. 2002The TransporterScreenplay
  50. 2001WasabiScreenplay
  51. 2001Kiss of the DragonScreenplay
  52. 2001YamakasiScreenplay
  53. 2000BichhooOriginal Story
  54. 2000The DancerScreenplay
  55. 2000Taxi 2Screenplay
  56. 1999The Messenger: The Story of Joan of ArcScreenplay
  57. 1998TaxiScreenplay
  58. 1997The Fifth ElementStory
  59. 1994Léon: The ProfessionalScreenplay
  60. 1993Point of No ReturnOriginal Story
  61. 1990NikitaWriter
  62. 1989The Big Blue AdventureIdea
  63. 1988The Big BlueStory
  64. 1986KamikazeWriter
  65. 1985SubwayDialogue
  66. 1983The Last BattleWriter
  67. 1981The PenultimateWriter