In a Groundbreaking Premium Drama, ‘R91’ Brings a Murder Mystery Aboard Flagship French Aircraft Carrier

Mediterranean Sea, present day. France’s nuclear aircraft carrier R91 – Charles de Gaulle aka “Le Charles” has just set sail on a threat-assessment strategic mission. When a crew member is found dead and another goes missing, military investigator Paul Fischer (Alban Lenoir, “Lost Bullet”) is rushed aboard. With second-in-command Helena Duval (Elodie Yung, “Marvel’s Daredevil,” “The Cleaning Lady”), they must hunt for the truth before the killer strikes again in the dark corners of the floating fortress. With 2,000 souls on board, the stakes are high and suspicion spreads, as the mission turned murder investigation slowly transforms into a global security crisis. Popular on Variety Henri Debeurme, co-creator, co-writer, producer of ‘R91’. Credits Fanta Kaba A Series Mania winner “R91” marks the first ever co-acquisition between Amazon Prime Video France and leading free-to-air network M6, with international sales handled by SND. It was born at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, as producer, co-creator and co-writer Henri Debeurme at Next Episode Productions, part of UGC Group, exited the world premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick.” As he recalls to Variety ahead of the series’ own world premiere in La Rochelle Fiction Festival, his childhood desire to make such high-end productions in France was triggered once again by the Top Gun’s striking imagery, and by a chance encounter with Brigitte Maccioni, CEO of UGC Group. Maccioni, who had been part of the French Navy citizen reserve, had worked on “Le Charles” and met a few people during her time aboard the ship. “She opened a crack in the door for me, and when you find doors like that, you have to push and open them,” recalls Debeurme. “And that gave me the impetus to imagine a series that could take place on an aircraft carrier such as the Charles de Gaulle.” However, the seasoned creative took his time, building his script with co-writers, co-creators Mathilde Arnaud and Yoann Legave, and discussing with broadcasters and partners at M6, UGC and Prime Video. “The first constraint of such an endeavor is a narrative one,” he explains. “Writing a story set on a warship brings specific challenges, as you have to find plot twists within this defined setting. Series set entirely in a single location are not that common, and they’re often relying on claustrophobia to add tension, such as submarine series or family dramas.” He adds: “With ‘R91,’ we tried something new. A spectacular, closed-room drama also opened to the outside world. Ultimately, the aircraft carrier setting was more of an advantage than an restraint, as we discovered it to be a true floating village, open to the outside world, the sea and the sky. It became a source of ideas, inspiration, and unexpected turns.” Even though “R91” is entirely fictional, the teams wanted credibility and authenticity. And with the ambition of shooting almost the entire series at sea, it was key to have the French Navy on board. Debeurme approached them after refining his concept with his teams and broadcasting partners, and the Navy authorities eventually proved easy to convince. “They were welcoming, without willing to control us in any way. It was accompaniment during the whole process, as long as we didn’t interfere with their actual daily jobs.” With that in mind, Debeurme and his teams set out to build the most intricate, complex shooting schedule he’s ever created. “We had authorization to board the ships during military exercises, and we filmed for 15 days at sea, notably on the Charles, on the sole condition we didn’t disrupt their movements, and that we brought everything we needed with us. The preexisting exercises we joined, such as bridging and catapult launches, were planned a long time before, and we had to match their schedule.” Schedules that would change on a daily basis. By the end of shooting, not a single day had gone as planned, adds Debeurme. “We basically had to film a complex, fictional series as we would a documentary, doing a 10-minute take out of the blue because an helicopter is landing, and we want actors to be getting out of it, or saying their lines in front of it. Sometimes, we’d have to shoot with aircrafts landing or being launched on top of us, which makes tremendous noise. To be honest, it was completely insane and ended up being the most complicated shooting I’ve ever done in my entire career. We had to constantly adapt.” These conditions eventually bonded the teams, as well as helped them connect with the sailors themselves. “Their flexibility and open-mindedness helped us and made us feel like we were fully immersed. In some ways, film crews and navy crews share similarities. Both are very ordered collectives where everyone is an expert in their field, and we all are equally passionate about our jobs.” Using generative AI or stock footage was never Debeurme’s intention. “We filmed on different ships and also built sets in a studio for locations that were too cramped, inaccessible or too complex for VFX. But the vast majority took place on real warships, with working sailors. We wanted to film real people, real things. This authenticity was always at the core of our process, and that involves humans. French, world-class talents and artists that helped us bring this project to life with a fraction of the budget of U.S. dramas.” Expanding on French drama series, Debeurme praised his colleagues and fellow artists presenting audacious, imaginative projects in La Rochelle. “Throughout my career, I’ve had many projects where people told me it was something that could be done only in the US. ‘A series set on an aircraft carrier? No, we are terrible at that,’ people would say. But I actually disagree. I think we have exceptional teams in France, powerful imagination and a wealthy pool of talent, and we shouldn’t be afraid to try new things.” “R91” showcases this boldness, which shone also in La Rochelle with premium period dramas such as “Swapped,” unique in its own way. As he heads to the festival, Debeurme is incredibly thankful for all who helped bring this crazy dream project to life. “It’s a huge source of pride, and a childhood dream of mine. And for me, it still is all about movies and TV series that make my dreams come true. As a writer-producer on this show, I’m glad to see I could pull off such an ambitious project, and that having these two roles in a European context is possible. And beyond my own experience, it also proves that we’re still in a world where, even if matters are very difficult and the industry is under a lot of pressure, you can still do great things when you use your imagination and conviction.” Following up its world premiere, “R91” will debut on Prime Video in the near future, before airing on M6.