Franck Dubosc
Jérôme Vassier
Overview
When an old card game comes to life, a family jumps back in time to a medieval village where they must unmask werewolves to secure their return home.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Game That Ate the Family
I’ll admit it: when I first heard Family Pack was adapting The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow—a card game I’ve played at least a dozen times in cramped apartments and over Zoom during lockdowns—I rolled my eyes. Not because I dislike the game (I don’t; it’s a masterclass in paranoia and bluffing), but because translating a tabletop experience into cinema feels like trying to film a game of charades.
How do you capture the giddy suspicion of a room full of friends accusing each other of lycanthropy? How do you make a werewolf hunt feel cinematic when the original game’s only "action" is players pointing at each other and shouting, "You’re the werewolf!"?
François Uzan’s film doesn’t just try—it leans into the absurdity. The premise is simple: a blended family, mid-game night, gets sucked into the world of the card game itself, where the rules of Werewolves are suddenly real, and the stakes are life or death. It’s Jumanji meets The Village, with a dash of French farce.
And yet, for all its chaotic energy, Family Pack struggles to decide whether it’s a family adventure, a comedy, or a satire of medieval tropes. The result is a film that’s often charming, occasionally frustrating, and—like the game it’s based on—best enjoyed when you’re not overthinking it.
The film’s greatest strength is its cast, particularly Jean Reno and Franck Dubosc. Reno, an actor who’s spent decades oscillating between stoic intensity (Léon) and deadpan humor (The Pink Panther), here gets to do both at once. As Gilbert, the family’s patriarch, he plays the village elder with a mix of gravitas and exasperation, as if he’s just realized he’s been cast in a Scooby-Doo episode but is determined to commit to the bit.
Dubosc, meanwhile, is a revelation as Jérôme, the bumbling but well-meaning stepfather. He’s the kind of actor who can sell a joke with a raised eyebrow or a poorly timed stumble, and his chemistry with Reno is the film’s emotional core. Their scenes together—whether they’re bickering over strategy or reluctantly teaming up to survive—are the closest Family Pack gets to feeling like a real family.
Suzanne Clément, as Marie, the family’s matriarch, is given less to do, but she brings a warmth that grounds the film’s more outlandish moments. The kids, too, are fine, though their characters often feel like afterthoughts in a script that’s more interested in the mechanics of the werewolf game than in the family’s dynamics. (This is a shame, because the film’s central theme—blended families learning to trust each other—is a rich one.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.2/10
"A lighthearted but uneven family adventure that blends werewolf lore with time-travel chaos, held together by its cast’s charm."
Viewers appreciate the playful mix of werewolf mythology and medieval time-travel antics, finding the premise fresh enough to keep things engaging. The ensemble cast, particularly Franck Dubosc and Jean Reno, adds warmth and humor, though some feel the story struggles to balance its comedic and fantastical elements. Pacing issues and a lack of depth in character arcs leave others wishing for more substance behind the fun setup.
What viewers praise
- Fun premise The blend of a classic werewolf game and time-traveling family adventure offers a unique, playful twist.
- Strong ensemble cast Franck Dubosc and Jean Reno bring charisma and comedic timing, making the characters feel lively and relatable.
- Family-friendly tone The lighthearted approach and lack of intense scares make it accessible for younger audiences.
Common complaints
- Uneven pacing The story jumps between tones and plot points, leaving some scenes feeling rushed or disjointed.
- Underdeveloped characters Supporting roles lack depth, making it hard to invest in their arcs beyond the main cast.
- Predictable execution The time-travel and werewolf mechanics follow familiar tropes, offering few surprises for genre-savvy viewers.
Recommended for
Families looking for light adventure Fans of werewolf lore Jean Reno and Franck Dubosc admirers Casual fantasy-comedy viewers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsInside Family Pack: How a Board Game Became a Star-Studded Werewolf Comedy
François Uzan’s Family Pack (2024) isn’t just another werewolf movie—it’s a rare Hollywood-style gamble on a French card game. The film, an adaptation of The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow (published by Asmodee), brings together heavyweights Jean Reno and Franck Dubosc in a fantasy-comedy hybrid that blends medieval horror with modern humor. But how did a tabletop game become a Netflix-backed blockbuster? latestnetflix.com's take is that the answer lies in its playful premise, A-list casting, and a director with a knack for high-concept entertainment.
From Cards to Camera: The Game That Inspired a Film
Family Pack isn’t the first attempt to adapt The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow—the game has spawned mobile apps, live-action events, and even a Russian TV series. But Uzan’s version is the first major cinematic take, and it leans hard into the game’s core mechanic: villagers trying to root out werewolves in their midst before they’re picked off one by one 
. The twist? The film frames the chaos as a literal game night gone wrong, with Reno and Dubosc leading a group of players trapped in a deadly medieval simulation.
The adaptation was co-written by Hervé Marly and Philippe des Pallières, the original game’s creators, ensuring the film stays true to the source material’s mix of strategy and social deduction . That fidelity might explain why Family Pack feels like a love letter to board game enthusiasts—right down to the over-the-top performances and rapid-fire banter.
Jean Reno and Franck Dubosc: An Unlikely Comedy Duo
Reno, the legendary action star of Léon: The Professional and The Da Vinci Code, is an unexpected fit for a werewolf comedy. But Family Pack marks his second collaboration with Uzan after Lupin (2021), Netflix’s hit heist series, where Reno played a supporting role. This time, he’s front and center, trading his usual gravitas for deadpan humor as a village elder trying to outwit the werewolves .
Dubosc, meanwhile, is a French comedy powerhouse, known for his slapstick roles in Serial (Bad) Weddings and Alibi.com. His chemistry with Reno—one of France’s most respected dramatic actors—adds a layer of unpredictability to the film. The New York Times review notes that the duo spends much of the runtime “bantering,” though the plot eventually saddles them with “superpowers” in a move that feels more chaotic than clever .
Supporting the leads is Suzanne Clément, a Canadian actress who rose to fame in Xavier Dolan’s Mommy and Laurence Anyways. Her role in Family Pack isn’t detailed in the snippets, but her presence suggests a mix of drama and dark comedy—her forte 
.
A Netflix Gamble on French Genre Cinema
Family Pack is a rare example of Netflix betting big on a French-language genre film. The streaming giant has been expanding its European slate, but most of its French productions lean toward prestige dramas (The Night Agent, Lupin) or rom-coms (Love Hard). A werewolf comedy is a risk, especially one based on a niche board game.
The film’s release strategy is unclear—Netflix’s Tudum site teased it as an upcoming title, but no official premiere date has been confirmed . Rumors suggest a late 2024 or early 2025 drop, possibly timed to capitalize on Halloween season. If the trailer leans into the game’s cult following, it could attract both horror fans and board game enthusiasts.
The Verdict: Fun or Forgettable?
Early reviews are mixed. The New York Times calls Family Pack “mild comedy and tedious action,” arguing that the film’s overactive plot undermines its strengths . On the other hand, the premise—trapped players forced to outsmart werewolves—has potential for tension and dark humor. Whether Uzan’s execution lands will depend on how well the film balances its game-like structure with cinematic stakes.
One thing’s certain: Family Pack is a curiosity. It’s not every day a French card game gets the Jean Reno treatment, and the cast’s willingness to embrace the absurdity could make it a cult hit—or a meme-worthy flop.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.