French cinema giant Pathé is celebrating its 130th anniversary in style — by unveiling a brand-new 4K restoration of Sofia Coppola’s cult classic “Marie Antoinette”. The announcement came during the Lumière Festival’s International Classic Film Market (MIFC) in Lyon, where Pathé owners Jérôme Seydoux and Sophie Seydoux are being honored this week.
Marie Antoinette (Credits: I Want Candy, LLC/Columbia/Sony)
A Restoration Fit for the 20th Anniversary
The restored version arrives right on time for the film’s 20th anniversary, and it’s part of a much bigger moment for Coppola’s candy-colored Versailles epic. The 4K restoration — supervised and approved by Sofia Coppola herself alongside cinematographer Lance Acord — will hit theaters on October 23, 2026, the same day the behind-the-scenes documentary “Making Marie Antoinette” by her late mother Eleanor Coppola opens in select theaters.
The celebration doesn’t stop there: Criterion releases its 4K edition on November 10 loaded with extras — a new Coppola interview, a scene commentary from star Kirsten Dunst, and a program featuring Acord, production designer KK Barrett, and Oscar-winning costume designer Milena Canonero.
Pathé Restores More Cinema Classics
“Marie Antoinette” isn’t the only treasure Pathé is polishing. The studio also unveiled restorations of three works by Louis Daquin, the celebrated French filmmaker who was a champion of the Communist Resistance during the German occupation.
Speaking at the Lumière Festival’s Classic Film Market, Jérôme Seydoux and Sophie Seydoux expressed confidence in cinema’s resilience, predicting streamers will increasingly release films theatrically and stressing the importance of educating young audiences about cinema. It’s fitting, then, that the 20th anniversary of the Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Fondation coincides with this celebration of film history.
Source: Variety — read the full story there.