Bagarre is a French comedy directed and written by Julien Royal, hitting cinemas on April 15, 2026. Led by Nassim Lyes, co-writer of the film, alongside Ramzy Bedia, Marina Foïs, Audrey Lamy and Anaïde Rozam, the comedy is produced by Hugo Sélignac, the man behind titles such as Bac Nord, Chien 51 and L'amour ouf. Filmed in Marseille, it marks Julien Royal’s first big-screen release, after his two previous features were released directly on Netflix.
Bagarre
Film | 2026
Release in theaters: April 15, 2026
Comedy | Not suitable for under-12s
By Julien Royal | Screenplay: Julien Royal and Nassim Lyes
Starring Nassim Lyes, Ramzy Bedia, Audrey Lamy, Anaïde Rozam, Marina Foïs
Original title: Bagarre
Nationality: France
Naïm is a gentle man — his first name, in Arabic, signals softness and goodness, a choice consciously made by Julien Royal and Nassim Lyes — but he possesses an extraordinary physical strength. When his dog falls gravely ill, veterinary bills start piling up. Cornered, he agrees to join « Allo Bagarre », a company that offers clients a way to settle their disputes through stand-by fighters. Behind the absurd premise, the film builds an offbeat universe where violence becomes a service on demand, a barely veiled satire of platform logic and the ultra-servicification of daily life.
The spark didn’t come from a script drafted at the table, but from a video that landed in their laps. Julien Royal and Nassim Lyes uncovered what looked like a promo for a real on‑demand fighter-for-hire service. The video’s veracity mattered little: the comedic potential was immediate. The film was born from that moment, built around a character whose physical power sits in contrast with a sincere longing for dialogue.
To shape Naïm, the duo drew on Japanese animation for inspiration, notably Dragon Ball Z—with the character Goku used as a blueprint for merging naivety with raw power. Nassim Lyes also looked to the pairing of Pierre Richard / Gérard Depardieu in Francis Veber’s films to strike the right balance between candor and physical presence.
Bagarre marks the third collaboration between Julien Royal and Nassim Lyes after En passant pécho (2021) and Nouveaux riches (2023), both released directly on Netflix. It’s the first time the director releases a feature in cinemas. Julien Royal takes on several roles here: directing, co-writing with Nassim Lyes, and editing.
The film also marks Greg Yega’s first feature‑film role, the reality TV star best known for his stint on W9’s The Marseillais. The shoot took place in Marseille, a city that Julien Royal praises as France’s most cinematic thanks to its light, its landscapes, and its people, and which he views as a direct allegory for Naïm’s character.
Among the most demanding sequences on set was the rooftop brawl, whose entire choreography— rehearsed for weeks— had to be reinvented on the day. Actor Hedi Bouchenafa, who plays Kevlar, sustained a cut to the forehead during filming. The scene ultimately wrapped in a single day.
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