The Emperor of Paris, François Vidocq, the only person who managed to escape from France's most famous prison during Napoleon's rule, is centered around in this film. The screenplay, written by Éric Besnard and Jean-François Richet, takes place during the time when Napoleon ruled France. Vincent Cassel, who has worked with the director many times before, takes on the lead role in the film. Joining Cassel are Olga Kurylenko, August Diehl, and Denis Ménochet, who have previously appeared in Hollywood films.