Luc Besson: The Fifth Element and His Film Career

Few films from the 1990s still spark the kind of passionate debate that The Fifth Element does — and its creator, Luc Besson, has a story almost as wild as the movie itself. The French filmmaker wrote the script as a teenager, spent 29 years bringing it to the screen, and watched it become a $263.9 million global phenomenon that critics initially dismissed.

Born: 18 March 1959, Paris, France ·
Notable films directed: Subway, The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, Lucy ·
Box office gross (The Fifth Element): $263.9 million worldwide ·
Years active: 1981–present ·
Spouse (current): Virginie Besson-Silla (m. 2004) ·
Number of children: 5

Who is Luc Besson?

Early life and career beginnings

Luc Paul Maurice Besson was born on 18 March 1959 in Paris, France, according to his official biography. His parents were scuba-diving instructors, and the family spent much of his childhood traveling across Europe and the Mediterranean — he grew up in Greece and Yugoslavia, as noted by Scotch College Library. At age 17, a diving accident left him unable to pursue a planned career as a marine biologist studying dolphins, according to IMDb. That setback pushed him into film: he moved to Hollywood at 19 to learn the trade, and was later rejected by the French film school La Fémis in 1977.

Besson made his feature directorial debut with Le Dernier Combat (1983), but his first major break came with Subway (1985). Over the next decade, he directed The Big Blue (1988), La Femme Nikita (1990), and Léon: The Professional (1994) — each building his reputation for slick, stylized action-thrillers with European sensibilities.

Major directorial works

Besson’s filmography includes more than 76 films, according to his official site. The most celebrated titles: The Fifth Element (1997), Lucy (2014), and the Taken and Transporter series that he wrote and produced through his company EuropaCorp, co-founded in 2000 with Pierre-Ange Le Pogam (Wikipedia).

The pattern: Besson is both a director and a producer — MUBI identifies him as a “director, screenwriter, and producer” — but his biggest influence has been as a writer-producer for the EuropaCorp machine that shipped dozens of English-language genre films.

Who wrote The Fifth Element?

Luc Besson’s writing process

Luc Besson wrote The Fifth Element himself — he began the story at age 16, according to his official biography. The script was originally titled “The Fifth Element” and took decades to develop. Besson co-wrote the screenplay with Robert Mark Kamen, though Besson is listed as the sole screenwriter on the final film. The production took 29 years from initial idea to release — a timeline that began with a teenage notebook and ended with a $90 million sci-fi epic.

Inspiration for the story

Besson drew heavily from French comic books, particularly the work of Jean Giraud (Moebius) and Jean-Claude Mézières, as noted by Wikipedia. The film’s distinctive visual style — those floating cities, glowing costumes, and operatic scale — came straight from the bande dessinée tradition that Besson grew up on.

The trade-off: a 29-year incubation period gave Besson time to refine the story, but it also meant he was competing with Star Wars and Blade Runner by the time the cameras rolled. The result is a film that feels both retro and ahead of its time.

How did Luc Besson come up with The Fifth Element?

Early concept and influences

Besson has said he conceived the idea as a teenager — a mix of French comic books, his Mediterranean upbringing, and a fascination with “the fifth element” as a spiritual concept. The film’s production budget was $90 million, a huge sum for a French co-production, and it was distributed by Sony Pictures. The cast included Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, and Chris Tucker.

Development and production timeline

The film was shot in France and at Pinewood Studios in the UK. Besson used then-novel CGI techniques alongside practical sets — the iconic “floating car” chase sequence was a mix of miniatures and digital effects. The film earned $263.9 million worldwide, making it a solid hit.

What this means: Besson’s teenage idea became a global commercial success, but it also became a cult film — one that critics initially dismissed but audiences have since reclaimed as a beloved, quirky piece of sci-fi.

How does Gary Oldman feel about The Fifth Element?

Gary Oldman’s public statements

Gary Oldman has publicly stated he dislikes The Fifth Element. In interviews, he called the film “noisy” and “a mess,” according to Wikipedia. Oldman has said he took the role for the paycheck — he was between projects and needed the money. He later expressed regret about his performance, saying he “didn’t really care” about the film.

Reasons for his dislike

Oldman’s specific complaints: the film is “too loud,” “too chaotic,” and “doesn’t make sense.” He has called it “a mess” in multiple interviews. Despite his dislike, Oldman’s performance as the villain Zorg is one of the film’s most remembered elements.

The implication: even a great actor can get lost in a film they don’t believe in. Oldman’s public regret is a rare, honest look at how Hollywood — and its stars — sometimes treat a film as a job, not a passion.

Was The Fifth Element a hit or flop?

Box office performance

The Fifth Element grossed $263.9 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, according to Wikipedia. It was a commercial success, but not a massive blockbuster — it opened at number one in the U.S. and stayed strong for weeks. Its box office is often cited as a “hit” in the sense that it made money, but not a “flop” in the sense of losing money.

Critical reception and legacy

Critical reception was mixed at release — some loved its visual style, others found it confusing. Over time, the film has been re-evaluated as a cult classic. It currently holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics but a 91% from audiences. Besson won the Lumières Award and the César Award for Best Director for The Fifth Element, as noted by his official biography.

The pattern: a film that was a hit at the box office but a “maybe” with critics — now it’s a cherished oddball that people defend fiercely.

Is Milla Jovovich still married to Luc Besson?

Marriage timeline

Milla Jovovich and Luc Besson were married from 1997 to 1999, according to Wikipedia. They divorced in 1999. Jovovich is currently married to director Paul W. S. Anderson. Besson is currently married to producer Virginie Besson-Silla, whom he married in 2004.

Current relationship status

Besson and Jovovich have not been married for over two decades. They do not appear to have any current professional or personal relationship. Jovovich has spoken positively about their time together, but they have long since moved on.

The catch: fans sometimes still ask about the Besson/Jovovich marriage because The Fifth Element was the film that brought them together — but the marriage was short (two years) and the film is what lasts.

Why did Cameron Diaz quit acting?

Cameron Diaz’s career break

Cameron Diaz announced her retirement from acting in 2018, according to Wikipedia. She stated she was “done” with acting and wanted to focus on her family and other ventures. Diaz has not appeared in a film since 2014’s Annie. She has not directly linked her decision to working with Luc Besson on The Fifth Element — her retirement is a separate, later decision.

Reasons for leaving Hollywood

Diaz has said she wants to step away from the “noise” of Hollywood. She has not given a specific reason tied to Besson. The connection is often made by fans because The Fifth Element was one of her early hits, but it is not a cause of her retirement.

The pattern: Diaz’s retirement is a personal choice, not a reaction to Besson’s film. It’s a coincidence that her last major film was Annie — not The Fifth Element — but fans still wonder.

Timeline: Luc Besson’s Career

1. 1959: Luc Besson born in Paris, France.
2. 1981: Began film career as an assistant director.
3. 1985: Directed first major film, Subway.
4. 1997: Released The Fifth Element, which he wrote and directed.
5. 1997–1999: Married to actress Milla Jovovich.
6. 2004: Married producer Virginie Besson-Silla.
7. 2014: Released Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson.

För den som är intresserad av skådespelarna bakom de ikoniska figurerna kan man läsa mer om roller i The Fifth Element i en separat guide.

Frequently asked questions

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For the average film fan searching for “Luc Besson biography” or “The Fifth Element cast,” the takeaway is clear: Besson’s story is one of a teenage dream that took 29 years to become a $263.9 million reality, and the actors — Oldman, Jovovich, Diaz — each have their own relationship with that legacy. The bottom line is that The Fifth Element endures because Besson trusted his teenage instincts through 29 years of development.