Alexandre Aja Set to Direct Romantic Drama 'The Marquis'

Variety.com reports that Alexandre Aja will direct the romantic drama "The Marquis," a 17th-century-set movie based on the true story of the Marquis de Montespan.

Gaumont is producing with Paris-based LGM Cinema. "The Marquis" will shoot in English with a budget in the $25 million range. Filming will begin in Europe in the last quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2017.

The film, inspired by Jean Teulé's bestselling novel "Le Montespan" and scripted by Aja, will depict the doomed and passionate relationship between the Marquis Louis Henri de Montespan and his wife Athénaïs, a beautiful and ambitious woman who became THE MISTRESS of Louis XIV.

Aja's credits include genre films "The Hills Have Eyes" and "Piranha 3D."