The Stranger (2025)
François Ozon brings Albert Camus's existentialist masterpiece to life in this visually striking French drama set in colonial Algeria.
The Stranger - Movie Information
- Original Title: L'Étranger
- Release Year: 2025
- Directed by: François Ozon
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Crime
- Runtime: 2h 2m
- Original Language: French
- Spoken Languages: French
- Release Date (Theatrical): October 29, 2025 (France), January 16, 2026 (Canada), April 10, 2026 (United Kingdom - 15), January 1, 2026 (Germany - 12), April 2, 2026 (Italy), December 19, 2025 (Spain)
- Alternative Titles: L'Étranger (FR)
- Production Companies: FOZ, France 2 Cinéma, Gaumont, SCOPE Pictures, Macassar Productions
- Production Countries: France, Belgium, Morocco
The Stranger - Plot
In 1930s Algeria, the daily life of an indifferent Frenchman is shaken by the death of his mother and a fateful encounter on a beach.
The Stranger - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the world of Meursault come to life on screen:
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The Stranger - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- François Ozon
Main Cast
- Benjamin Voisin
- Rebecca Marder
- Pierre Lottin
- Denis Lavant
- Swann Arlaud
- Christophe Malavoy
- Nicolas Vaude
- Jean-Charles Clichet
- Hajar Bouzaouit
- Mireille Perrier
Writers
- François Ozon
Producers
- François Ozon
The Stranger - FAQs
Is The Stranger based on a true story?
No, The Stranger is not based on a true story. It is François Ozon's film adaptation of Albert Camus's landmark 1942 existentialist novel L'Étranger, which follows the fictional character Meursault, an emotionally detached French Algerian man whose life unravels after a seemingly motiveless killing on a sun-drenched beach.
Where can I watch The Stranger online?
You can find all current streaming, rental, and purchase options for The Stranger on JustWatch, which tracks availability across platforms in your region. The film is a French-language production distributed internationally, so availability will vary depending on your country and local streaming services.
How faithful is Ozon's adaptation to Camus's novel?
François Ozon is known for bringing literary works to the screen with both fidelity and personal vision. His adaptation of L'Étranger retains the novel's core structure — Meursault's emotional detachment, his mother's death, the beach killing, and the trial — while translating Camus's stark prose into the visual language of cinema set in colonial 1930s Algeria.
Who plays Meursault in The Stranger 2025?
Benjamin Voisin plays Meursault, the emotionally indifferent French Algerian protagonist at the heart of the story. Voisin, known for his work in French cinema, takes on one of literature's most challenging roles — a man whose radical passivity and refusal to perform grief ultimately leads to his moral and legal condemnation.
Who directed The Stranger and who wrote the screenplay?
The Stranger was directed and written by François Ozon, one of France's most prolific and versatile filmmakers. Ozon both adapted the screenplay from Albert Camus's novel and served as producer, demonstrating the same hands-on creative control he has brought to acclaimed works throughout his career.
What is The Stranger 2025 about?
Set in 1930s colonial Algeria, the film follows Meursault, a detached Frenchman whose routine existence is disrupted by his mother's death and a chance encounter on a beach that leads to a killing. His emotional indifference during his subsequent trial becomes as damning as the act itself, raising questions about morality, society, and absurdism.
When was The Stranger released in theaters?
The Stranger premiered in France on October 29, 2025. It subsequently opened in Spain on December 19, 2025, Canada on January 16, 2026, Germany on January 1, 2026, Italy on April 2, 2026, and the United Kingdom on April 10, 2026. The US theatrical release is scheduled for November 3, 2025.
How long is The Stranger 2025?
The Stranger has a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes (122 minutes). This gives François Ozon sufficient space to faithfully render the novel's two-part structure — Meursault's life before and after the beach killing — while maintaining the measured, almost detached pacing that mirrors the protagonist's own emotional state.
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