The Three Musketeers: Milady
| Company type | Motion picture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Founder | Martin Bourboulon (director), Dimitri Rassam (producer) |
| Headquarters | France, Germany, Spain, Belgium |
| Products | Film |
Number of employees | Not specified |
The Three Musketeers: Milady (titled The Three Musketeers – Part II: Milady in the United States) is a 2023 action-adventure motion picture helmed by director Martin Bourboulon, based on the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas. This film represents the second chapter in a two-part series, succeeding The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan (2023). The ensemble cast features François Civil, Vincent Cassel, Pio Marmaï, Romain Duris, and Eva Green. The production was a collaborative effort among France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium, with a total budget of €72 million (approximately US$78 million), of which €36.1 million was dedicated to Milady. Filming took place consecutively over 150 days spanning from August 2021 through June 2022.
Milady had its debut at the Varilux French Cinema Festival held in Rio de Janeiro on 18 November 2023. It was subsequently released in French cinemas by Pathé Distribution and in Belgium through Alternative Films on 13 December 2023. The Spanish theatrical release followed on 26 January 2024 via DeAPlaneta. In Germany, the film became available for digital purchase on 18 April 2024.
The movie garnered positive critical acclaim, attracting over two million viewers in France and securing six nominations at the 2024 49th César Awards, where it won the award for Best Production Design.
Plot
Picking up immediately after The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan, the story follows D'Artagnan after his capture by Gaston, the brother and heir apparent to King Louis XIII. He manages to escape and takes prisoner Gaston’s aide, Comte de Chalais. Searching for Constance’s prison cell, he instead discovers Milady de Winter bound and tortured. Milady and D'Artagnan flee together; she unsuccessfully tries to seduce him before departing. D'Artagnan is captured once more by Chalais’ men but escapes again. Meanwhile, Athos visits his family estate, spending time with his five-year-old son and visiting the grave of his late wife.
Following an assassination attempt, King Louis XIII declares war on La Rochelle, a Protestant bastion. D'Artagnan and the Musketeers, under Captain Treville’s command, are sent to the war front. While stationed at the camp, Milady makes another attempt to seduce D'Artagnan; he notices a fleur-de-lis mark on her shoulder, revealing her as Athos’ supposedly deceased former wife.
During a nighttime assault on La Rochelle led by Captain Treville, Comte de Chalais betrays them under Gaston’s orders. With assistance from Hannibal, another French commander, the Musketeers manage to escape after intense combat.
Athos tracks Milady to a forest rendezvous with Cardinal Richelieu and learns she has been assigned to assassinate the Duke of Buckingham, who is instrumental in supporting La Rochelle’s rebellion. Athos confronts her; she tries to kill him but is saved by Aramis and D'Artagnan.
Richelieu meets with Queen Anne and promises to free Constance, who is imprisoned under his orders. The queen tells D'Artagnan that Buckingham is guarding Constance in England. Athos’ brother Benjamin, a Protestant leader, is captured and sentenced to death. Athos deserts the army to rescue him, accompanied by Aramis and D'Artagnan; they escape to England.
Milady attempts to kill Buckingham but is recognized and sentenced to death. Constance, moved by compassion, exchanges clothes with Milady and allows her to flee. Constance is executed by hanging in Milady’s stead despite objections. Arriving too late, D'Artagnan and his companions pursue Milady as she sets fire to Buckingham’s residence. Inside the blaze, D'Artagnan battles Milady; she disappears and he is found unconscious.
Captain Treville faces accusations of treason but is cleared when Aramis and D'Artagnan present proof linking Gaston to La Rochelle’s insurgents. Athos returns home only to discover his son has been kidnapped; all that remains on the child’s bed is an earring belonging to Athos’ wife.
Development
The initiative originated in 2019 when producer Dimitri Rassam sought a compelling narrative for a major cinematic event, ultimately choosing Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel The Three Musketeers.[1] In December of that year, Rassam met with director Martin Bourboulon in Paris to explore the adaptation possibilities.[2] Bourboulon reflected on his childhood experience visiting the set of the 1994 film Revenge of the Musketeers, directed by his father, which shaped his creative approach.[2] Subsequently, Rassam enlisted screenwriters Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, who enthusiastically accepted the project.[2]
On 13 May 2020, a pivotal meeting took place at Chapter 2, Rassam's production company, attended by executives from Pathé Films. During this session, the writers presented a 60-page storyboard detailing the plot.[2] Despite the script being incomplete, approval was granted within hours. Delaporte and La Patellière sought to reinterpret Dumas' tale as "a thriller set in a brutal world," framing it as "a counterpoint to American franchises," according to Rassam.[2][3]
On 29 June 2020, Pathé's CEO Jérôme Seydoux officially announced the new adaptation, revealing plans for a two-part film series named D'Artagnan and Milady. Both installments would be directed by Bourboulon with screenplays by Delaporte and La Patellière. Filming was scheduled for summer 2021 in France, spanning seven months, with a release timeline set for 2023.[4]
The production is led by Dimitri Rassam's Chapter 2 (a Mediawan Company) alongside Pathé, with co-production partners including M6 Films (France), Constantin Film (Germany), DeAPlaneta (Spain),[5][6] and Umedia (Belgium).[7] The combined budget for both features reached €72 million (around US$78.2 million in 2023), divided almost evenly between D'Artagnan (€36.08 million) and Milady (€36.16 million), establishing it as the most costly French production of that year.[8][2][9] Guillaume Roussel composed the musical score.[6]
This project represents the first French cinematic adaptation of The Three Musketeers in over six decades since Bernard Borderie's two-part films released in 1961.[10]
Director Bourboulon cited a range of influences including The Duellists (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), La Reine Margot (1994), Gladiator (2000), Elephant (2003), and The Revenant (2015).[1][11]
Pre-production
On 11 February 2021, Variety revealed the principal cast, featuring François Civil as D'Artagnan, Eva Green portraying Milady de Winter, Vincent Cassel as Athos, Pio Marmaï taking on Porthos, Romain Duris in the role of Aramis, Lyna Khoudri as Constance Bonacieux, Louis Garrel playing King Louis XIII, Vicky Krieps as Anne of Austria, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen cast as the Duke of Buckingham. In the same month, M6, OCS, and Canal Plus acquired pre-release rights to the saga. Pathé managed theatrical distribution within France and oversaw international sales.
Pathé announced on 23 November 2021 that D'Artagnan would premiere on 5 April 2023, followed by Milady on 13 December 2023. The complete cast list was also confirmed, including Ralph Amoussou as Hannibal, Éric Ruf portraying Cardinal Richelieu, Marc Barbé as Captain de Tréville, Patrick Mille as the Count of Chalais, with Jacob Fortune-Lloyd replacing Oliver Jackson-Cohen in the role of the Duke of Buckingham.
Director Martin Bourboulon and producer Dimitri Rassam pursued a clear vision for their musketeer saga, securing their preferred actors ahead of script completion. François Civil was their top candidate for D'Artagnan and had long aspired to embody the character. Prior to his meeting with Rassam in early 2020, Civil adopted D'Artagnan’s appearance and asserted a deep familiarity with the novel despite recently acquiring it—this confident approach ultimately earned him the role. He received the screenplay months later during the COVID-19 lockdown and committed to six months of rigorous training in fencing, swordsmanship, and horseback riding. Olympic épée champion Yannick Borel coached the cast; notably, Civil performed approximately 90% of his stunts personally.
Éric Ruf, cast as Cardinal Richelieu in this production, had previously portrayed Aramis in the 2004 film Milady and the Three Musketeers. Vincent Cassel also shares a familial link to the story: his father Jean-Pierre Cassel played King Louis XIII in the 1973 adaptation.
Bourboulon and Rassam aimed to infuse contemporary elements and emphasize empowered female roles. Eva Green was selected to embody Milady de Winter to add layers of intrigue and complexity; Cassel recommended her prior to their collaboration on an Apple TV+ series. Green overcame a personal fear of horses through training with expert Mario Luraschi.
This version introduces Hannibal (played by Ralph Amoussou), inspired by Louis Anniaba—the prince of Assinie and recognized as France's first Black musketeer. The character Porthos (Pio Marmaï) is depicted as bisexual; Marmaï notably gained 10 kilograms to prepare for this portrayal.
The musketeers’ initial encounter was designed to reflect the novel’s fencing lesson scene. Civil’s preparation included horseback riding at Luraschi’s ranch combined with combat choreography sessions in Paris. During filming, he experienced temporary blindness due to a makeup incident and sustained a foot fracture but continued shooting with a protective foam shoe.
Civil contributed to script adjustments that modernized D'Artagnan's dynamic with Constance Bonacieux (Lyna Khoudri), focusing on mutual respect and consent rather than the original narrative’s more assertive courtship. He preserved D'Artagnan’s charismatic appeal without introducing undue heaviness.
Though director Bourboulon initially resisted incorporating traditional feathered hats to avoid an antiquated aesthetic, costume designer Thierry Delettre convinced him otherwise. Apart from minor digital removal of contemporary items such as bus shelters, no visual effects were employed to maintain historical authenticity.
Filming
Both movies were produced consecutively over a span of 150 days, utilizing various French locations such as the Louvre Palace, Hôtel des Invalides, Fontainebleau Castle, Saint-Germain-en-Laye Castle, Fort-la-Latte, Château de Chantilly, the Saint-Malo citadel, and the historic district of Troyes. Shooting commenced on 16 August 2021 and wrapped up on 3 June 2022 at Farcheville castle. The production featured an extensive setup including 2,000 costumes, a crew of 930 technicians, 650 horses, and a total of 9,000 extras.
Post-production
In response to viewer reactions from the initial film, director Martin Bourboulon modified the color grading for The Three Musketeers: Milady to counter critiques that The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan appeared overly dark. Bourboulon explained that since much of Milady takes place outdoors near the sea, the visuals were deliberately brightened to enhance clarity and ensure consistent viewing across different cinema calibration standards in France. The first film’s visual style remains unaltered.
Soundtrack
Composed by Guillaume Roussel, the official soundtrack was made available for streaming and digital purchase on 13 December 2023 through Milan Records. A physical CD release followed shortly after on 15 December 2023.
Release
The film had its debut at the Varilux French Cinema Festival held in Rio de Janeiro on 18 November 2023. It was released theatrically in France by Pathé and in Belgium by Alternative Films on 13 December 2023. Spain saw its release via DeAPlaneta on 26 January 2024. In Germany, Constantin Film withdrew the planned theater release scheduled for 14 December 2023, opting instead for a digital purchase launch on 18 April 2024 and subsequent DVD/Blu-Ray availability from 2 May 2024.
Critical response
The French cinema platform AlloCiné awarded the film an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 based on evaluations from 36 critics.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% derived from 45 reviews, with an average score of 7.2/10; it was praised for demonstrating that modern renditions of Dumas’ classic can still deliver exciting swashbuckling entertainment. Metacritic assigned a score of 74 out of 100 based on assessments by 19 reviewers, reflecting generally favorable opinions.
France
During its opening day in France, The Three Musketeers: Milady sold 149,164 tickets across 2,670 showings in 724 cinemas, securing second place behind Wonka, which recorded 184,927 admissions. The film’s first weekend attracted an audience of 611,371 from a total of 12,807 screenings, again trailing Wonka (689,706 admissions). By week two, attendance reached approximately 1.17 million tickets sold and ranked third in the French box office standings. In its fourth weekend, ticket sales exceeded two million while maintaining third place. By the fifth weekend, the figure climbed to around 2.3 million admissions with the film positioned fourth at the box office.
International
In the United Kingdom, the movie opened in 164 cinemas and debuted at number sixteen with an opening weekend revenue of $80,106. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic it premiered in 135 theaters ranking ninth with initial earnings totaling $25,320.
As of June 2024, global box office receipts amount to $21,738,087.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Ceremony date | Category | Nominee(s) | Outcome | Template:Ref heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| César Awards | 23 February 2024 | Best Cinematography | Nicolas Bolduc | Template:Nom | [12] |
| Best Sound | David Rit, Gwennolé Le Borgne, Olivier Touche, Cyril Holtz, and Niels Barletta | Template:Nom | |||
| Best Original Music | Guillaume Roussel | Template:Nom | |||
| Best Costume Design | Thierry Delettre | Template:Nom | |||
| Best Production Design | Stéphane Taillasson | Template:Won | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Olivier Cauwet | Template:Nom |
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedleparisien - ↑ Finance, Matt (14 December 2020). "Le retour des Trois Mousquetaires en VF au cinéma pour concurrencer les franchises américaines". Le Figaro (in français).
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedv51222 - ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (5 April 2023). "Review: The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan". Cineuropa.
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedmadamefigaro - ↑ "72000000 EUR To USD Convert Euro To United States Dollar". Forbes. 1 April 2023.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedrcf - ↑ "The Three Musketeers: Milady director Martin Bourboulon on the Gus Van Sant & Iñárritu influences". 13 December 2023.
- ↑ Barat, Mathilde (23 February 2024). "César 2024: Anatomie d'une chute crowned best film. Complete list of winners at the 49e ceremony". Le Figaro (in français). Retrieved 24 February 2024.