The Stranger (French: L'Étranger) is a 2025 drama film written and directed by François Ozon, based on Albert Camus' 1942 novel. Benjamin Voisin stars in the lead role of Meursault, alongside Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Swann Arlaud and Denis Lavant. It is the third film adaptation of Camus' novel, following the 1967 Italian film and the 2001 Turkish film.
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2025, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. It was theatrically released in France by Gaumont on 29 October. It was a critical and commercial success. At the 51st César Awards, Lottin won Best Supporting Actor, and Voisin was nominated for Best Actor.
Contents
Plot
In French Algeria, Meursault lives a life of indifference and detachment. Following the death of his mother, he stands accused of the murder of an Arab man.
Background
The film is an adaptation of Albert Camus's 1942 novella The Stranger, about a detached and indifferent Frenchman in French Algeria, who, weeks after his mother's funeral, kills an unnamed Arab man in Algiers. The ensuing trial explores both the crime and his character. It is considered a landmark work of existentialism and is widely regarded as Camus's masterpiece. It is also ranked as one of the most widely read French novels in the world and has been translated into 75 languages. A 1967 film adaptation by Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti starred Marcello Mastroianni as Meursault. A 2001 film adaptation by Turkish filmmaker Zeki Demirkubuz loosely reworked the novel, transposing it to contemporary Istanbul.
Production
In March 2025, Benjamin Voisin was announced in the principal role. Ozon produced the film through his own company FOZ, in co-production with Gaumont, France 2 Cinéma, Macassar Productions and Belgium's Scope Pictures. Principal photography began in Morocco in April 2025, at which time Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Swann Arlaud and Denis Lavant were announced to have joined the cast.
Release
The Stranger was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 2 September 2025.
In April 2025, international sales were acquired by Gaumont. In May 2025, the company presented the film at the Marché du Film in Cannes to be acquired by distributors around the world. Gaumont was scheduled to theatrically release the film in France on 29 October 2025. Music Box Films acquired US distribution rights, and was released there in April 2026. The film was also released in the United Kingdom in April 2026.
Reception
Box office
The film had 752k admissions at the French box office, grossing $9 million.
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 35 critics' reviews are positive. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 84 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Damon Wise for Deadline writes that the film "is a perfectly crafted but somewhat laborious stab at the book's dark heart."