In January 2022, Bruno Dumont was announced to be preparing a new film entitled L'Empire, which would feature actresses Virginie Efira and Adèle Haenel.

The film was teased as a confounding mélange of science fiction and social realism set in Dumont's home region of northern France.

[9] In May 2022, Adèle Haenel left the project due to disagreements with Bruno Dumont over the script, which she characterised as "dark, sexist and racist".

[10] In August 2022, Lily-Rose Depp and Virginie Efira were confirmed to have left the project due to "filming having changed dates several times" which ultimately conflicted with their schedules.

[12][13] Principal photography began on 16 August 2022 in Wimereux (Pas-de-Calais), located in France's Côte d'Opale region, where the production was set up on the Dunes de la Slack beach, stretching between Pointe aux Oies and Fort d'Ambleteuse.