Netflix has scheduled the global release of The Hunchback, Soul of Paris, a gritty historical drama inspired by Victor Hugo’s classic novel, for November 27, 2026. Directed by Jean-François Richet and starring Vincent Cassel, the €30 million feature departs from traditional adaptations to follow a hunted bell-ringer on the eve of the 1830 July Revolution.
Plot and Historical Setting
Set in Paris in 1830, the film takes place as a cholera outbreak threatens the city. The narrative centers on Quasimodo, a hunchback hunted for medical experiments, who finds himself caught between political turmoil and an impossible love.
Director Jean-François Richet told Vanity Fair France that the script draws inspiration from the theories of British archivist Adrian Glew. Glew claimed the original bell-ringer was based on a real-life stone carver encountered by Hugo.
"We are starting from a credible premise rather than a true story," Richet stated to the outlet.
Operating as a high-stakes chase movie, the plot follows Quasimodo through a plague-ridden Paris. He is pursued by the Director of Security and a doctor attempting to run clinical tests on him to find a cure for cholera. Richet noted that the project explores modern themes, including class struggle, the populace, elites, medicine, and beauty.
Cast and Production Details
Vincent Cassel stars as Quasimodo, undergoing a dramatic transformation for the role. The international cast features:
- Karim Leklou as the Director of Security
- Benjamin Voisin as the doctor seeking to experiment on Quasimodo
- Daphné Patakia
- Noémie Lvovsky
- Sébastien Pouderoux
- Eli Nachmani
- Alexis Rosenstiehl
Jean-François Richet directed the film, working from a screenplay written by Éric Besnard and Edgar Marie. Clément Miserez and Matthieu Warter produced the project for Radar Films. The feature carries a reported budget of approximately €30 million, making it a major investment for Netflix’s international film slate.
The film has a confirmed runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes and will stream worldwide on Netflix starting November 27, 2026.