242 years ago, Chordelos Laclos shocked the French court before the French Revolution with a book that many believed to be the true account of nobles in the decadent and final phase of the monarchy in France. Calling the work Dangerous Liaisons, the book functioned as the publication of scandalous letters between the Viscount de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil. The two friends, former lovers, and eventual rivals, are a natural example of narcissists without empathy for their victims. They use seduction as a weapon to control and socially exploit others, as a game, and boast about how easily they can manipulate everyone.

The book has been adapted for film, TV, and theater on more than one occasion, being faithful to the original or imagining an update. No matter how many centuries have passed since its release, it always has a great impact.

As the story traces the adult lives of Valmont and Merteuil, there is still room to understand how the two came to know each other and relate to each other. In Christopher Hampton‘s play that became the perfect film by Stephen Frears in 1989, Merteuil mentions that the two were lovers in a relatively distant past, but when they were already using and discarding their victims, she is ambiguous in clarifying her own origin.

In 2022, the Starz series that was shown in Brazil on what is now MGM Plus set out to explore this unexplored part of the story, with a luxurious production with Alice Englert and Nicholas Denton bringing the anti-heroes of the story to life. It was canceled before concluding its story, and although I would have wanted more, I understood.

The melodrama was exaggerated and the complexity that they included in the lives of the two did not match the book or the classic film. For example, Merteiul would be a former prostitute and Valmont had to fight his stepmother to inherit his family’s title. Although the soundtrack was incredible and Denton’s performance was sensational, none of that was enough to make up for the setbacks.

In light of this failure, I reacted with surprise and skepticism to the news that a new attempt to portray Merteiul is currently being filmed. The series, now 100% French, is being filmed in Normandy and features a spectacular cast: Anamaria Vartolomei will be Isabelle de Merteuil, Diane Kruger is Madame de Rosemonde, Vincent Lacoste plays the malicious Viscount de Valmont and Lucas Bravo, who we know from Lily in Paris, will be the Count de Gercourt.

The story is the same as that of a praised play that was on show in Paris, which tells of what happened after Merteiul was exposed by Valmont. So, we can forget everything proposed by the Starz series, because Merteiul is completely different. Filming is expected to continue until December in grand settings that include the cliffs of Normandy and the castles of Ile-de-France.

According to MAX, Merteuil “explores power games, manipulation, and moral dilemmas through complex and fascinating characters”, and is more of a revisitation of the “spirit” of Laclos’ classic than something definitively linked to the work. The platform mentions that the series will have “a modern prism”, but that it maintains “the intensity and sophistication that made it a timeless masterpiece”. (I don’t know…)

The fact is that, in current times, the Marquise de Merteiul, who fought for freedom, autonomy, and female equality and was described (literally) as monstrous on the inside, no longer fits as a “villain”. Having a series where she is the protagonist – and heroine – is not good news for Valmont…

The synopsis of the play says that “after her downfall following Valmont’s death, the Marquise de Merteuil went into exile. After fifteen years, she accepts a curious invitation that will put her face to face with Cécile de Volanges, with the Viscount de Valmont in the background, who continues to poison their lives after death. Valmont’s outrages suffered by Cécile, the Marquise’s Machiavellianism resurface in a torrent of moral censures on one side, and feminist demands on the other.”

Written by Salomé Villiers, Merteuil explored historical, sociological, and social themes that will be featured in the series, whose showrunners, Jessica Palud and Jean-Baptiste Delafon, imagine “the genesis and destiny of this revolutionary character,” explains MAX. “Through the 18th century of libertines and the dying nobility, Jean-Baptiste and Jessica offer a modern exploration of the themes of pleasure, freedom, and women’s emancipation,” they anticipate.

The synopsis says that “to be the hero of your own story, sometimes you have to be the villain of someone else’s. The Marquise de Merteuil, betrayed by Valmont, embarks on a daring journey to become the leading courtesan in Paris. Loosely adapted from the novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, a thrilling exploration of the price of freedom emotional and sexual — in a world where women had little.”

Do you know what we can really expect? Awards and awards. It should debut on the platform in 2025.

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