Luc Besson, the award-winning writer, director and producer who founded Paris-based studio EuropaCorp in 1999, is returning as interim CEO after the company’s chief executive Axel Duroux resigned.
Besson took over the top spot earlier this week, the company announced Thursday, saying that the board of directors had accepted Duroux’s resignation effective Tuesday. Duroux was also an EuropaCorp director.
“Axel Duroux, who will remain a shareholder, will continue to work closely with EuropaCorp as special advisor to the Chairman until mid-May in order to ensure the best possible handover to the new management team,” the company statement said. “Luc Besson will act as interim Chief Executive Officer, for a limited period, from 13 December 2023.”
Besson became artistic director and non-executive chairman after Duroux joined the company at CEO in August 2020. That move came as EuropaCorp, which produced Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and the Taken, Taxi and Transporter franchises, had been in financial difficulty for several years.
In addition, Besson had been facing rape and other charges of inappropriate behavior from multiple women, charges Besson has denied. This past June, a French appeals court dismissed rape accusations by Belgian-Dutch actress Sand Van Roy against Besson. The appeal had been lodged by the actress in relation to the 2021 dismissal of her 2018 rape complaint.
The reason for Duroux’s exit this week was not explained, but his departure announcement came the same day EuropaCorp reported half-year earnings. Revenue was up 2% year-over year thanks in a quarter that saw Dogman, Besson’s first film since 2019, world premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Briarcliff Entertainment acquired U.S. distribution rights to DogMan, which stars Caleb Landry Jones, and plans a first-quarter 2024 U.S. release.