Netflix has unveiled the trailer for an upcoming live-action adaptation of a French classic.
The Hunchback, Soul of Paris (or Quasimodo, l’âme de Paris) is one of the streaming platform’s newest undertakings, directed by Jean-François Richet (Plane, Mutiny) and starring Vincent Cassel (Mesrine: Killer Instinct, Black Swan) as the titular character. Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame‘s most famous adaptation is Disney’s 1996 animated feature; this reimagining is directly based on but still deviates from the original source material.
Check out the trailer for The Hunchback, Soul of Paris below:
The Hunchback, Soul of Paris features Victor Hugo as an in-story character, who is inspired by the events to write his Gothic masterpiece. Hugo narrates part of the trailer, talking about how he is looking for a protagonist who represents the lower, oppressed classes of Paris. Several snippets of scenes showcase how the themes of the French Revolution will be vital in this movie.
While Paris is on the brink of revolution, it is also threatened by sickness. Netflix’s trailer reveals a new subplot where Quasimodo is apparently immune to cholera, prompting a doctor’s interest. We also see a first look at Esmerelda (or a counterpart to her), the Romani performer who is the second-most famous character from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, here played by Daphné Patakia.
The Hunchback, Soul of Paris also stars Karim Leklou, Benjamin Voisin, Noémie Lvovsky, Sébastien Pouderoux, Eli Nachmani, and Alexis Rosenstiehl. When first-look images for The Hunchback, Soul of Paris were revealed, the director told Vanity Fair that his movie would be about “class struggle, the people, the elites, medicine, beauty and the beauty of the ugly,” as well as digging into the disturbing history of medical experimentation.
Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame explored some similar themes in a very different manner, such as through the song “God Help the Outcasts,” written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, and performed by Heidi Mollenhauer. Esmerelda’s spoken lines, however, were done by Demi Moore; the cast of the 1996 movie also includes Jason Alexander, Jim Cummings, Tom Hulce, Tony Jay, and Kevin Kline.
Disney was working on its own live-action The Hunchback of Notre Dame that presumably would have been a faithful remake of its animated movie, like its other recent remakes, but the project has been indefinitely shelved. Those who are more interested in live-action reimaginings that are grittier than the Disney classics or offer an entirely new take on the story may find something worthwhile on Netflix in the coming weeks.
The Hunchback, Soul of Paris will premiere on Netflix on November 27, 2026.
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