The King’s Daughter Movie Storyline. Known as The Sun King, Louis XIV (Pierce Brosnan) is the most powerful and influential monarch on the planet. Obsessed with his own mortality and the future of France, Louis turns to his spiritual advisor, Père La Chaise (William Hurt), and the royal physician to help him obtain the key to immortality.
Believing a mermaid (Fan Bingbing) contains a force that grants everlasting life, Louis commissions a young sea captain to search the seas and capture the mystical creature. Further complicating his plans is his orphaned daughter, Marie-Josèphe (Kaya Scodelario), who returns to court with an abundance of elegance and an inherent defiance of authority. With a rare solar eclipse approaching, Louis will discover where his daughter’s true loyalties lie as he races against time to extract the mermaid’s life-giving force.
The King’s Daughter (previously titled The Moon and the Sun) is an upcoming American action-adventure fantasy film directed by Sean McNamara from a screenplay by Barry Berman and James Schamus. It is based on the 1997 novel The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre. The film stars Pierce Brosnan as King Louis XIV, Kaya Scodelario as Marie-Josèphe, and Benjamin Walker as Yves De La Croix.
Principal photography began in early April 2014 in Versailles, France. After the two-week shoot in France, production then began on April 23 in Melbourne, Australia. Shooting wrapped up at the end of May 2014. It is scheduled to be released on January 21, 2022, by Gravitas Ventures.
About the Production
The film is based on the 1997 novel The Moon and the Sun, written by Vonda N. McIntyre. The earliest development for the film began in 1999, when producer Michael London planned to acquire filming rights. He said he was drawn to “the weird juxtaposition (of) a completely imagined creature in this very specific historical world.”
London proposed the film to The Jim Henson Company, who would release the film through their film company, Jim Henson Pictures. Theatre director Christopher Renshaw signed on to direct, while Laura Harrington would write the screenplay with McIntyre’s involvement. Stephanie Allain and Kristine Belson signed on as executive producers for Jim Henson Pictures.
Following Sony terminating their joint venture with The Jim Henson Company thus ending Jim Henson Pictures, production was shelved until film producer Bill Mechanic joined production and revived the film with Walt Disney Pictures after signing a five-year deal with the company in December 2001. Mechanic planned for the film to start pre-production in early 2002, with Natalie Portman to star, James Schamus to revise the script, and Gregory Hoblit to possibly direct. The Jim Henson Company would also remain as a producer.
In August 2013, it was announced that Sean McNamara would direct the film. The casting included Pierce Brosnan as King Louis XIV, Fan Bingbing as the mermaid, and Bill Nighy as Pere de Chaise, a character created for the movie. Nighy pulled out of the film due to a scheduling conflict and was replaced by William Hurt weeks before filming. Mechanic, still remaining on the film, had also revised the script with Barry Berman and Ronald Bass. The Chinese film company Kylin Films invested $20.5 million in the movie, making it China’s biggest financial contribution to a non-studio film produced outside China. In June 2020, it was announced that Julie Andrews would narrate the film.
Principal photography on The Moon and the Sun began in early April 2014 on location at the Palace of Versailles, France. After the two-week shoot in France, production moved to Australia for shooting at Docklands Studios Melbourne and on location in Melbourne, Victoria. Filming commenced on April 23 in and around Melbourne Docklands. From May 6 to 8, filming took place at the Melbourne City Marina on the tall ship Enterprize for scenes set on board a ship in the Northern Sea on a stormy night in 1648. On May 2, 2014, scenes were filmed in Old Quad at The University of Melbourne, with the set transformed into a Versailles abbey. Filming in Australia wrapped up at the end of May 2014.
The King’s Daughter (2022)
Directed by: Sean McNamara
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker, William Hurt as Père, Rachel Griffiths, Fan Bingbing, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Paul Ireland, Pablo Schreiber, rystal Clarke, Julie Andrews
Screenplay by: Barry Berman, James Schamus
Production Design by: Michelle McGahey
Cinematography by: Conrad W. Hall
Film Editing by: John Gilbert
Costume Design by: Lizzy Gardiner
Set Decoration by: Vanessa Cerne, Lise Péault
Art Direction by: Bill Booth, Fiona Donovan
Music by: Joseph Metcalfe, John Coda, Grant Kirkhope
MPAA Rating: PG for some violence, suggestive material and thematic elements.
Distributed by: Gravitas Ventures
Release Date: January 21, 2022
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