What’s the Fort got in store this year?

By | May 18, 2016

We can only be about six weeks away from the 27th season premiere of Fort Boyard on France 2 which means they’re filming very soon. Once all the episodes have been filmed the press will have a go and that’s when we’ll discover the new games and things that have been added this year (and some games which remained in the press pack even though it was discovered too close to filming that they don’t work and got dropped, ahem).

So if you’re on Twitter now’s a good time to follow Guillaume Ramain, one of the show’s artistic and creative directors, Pere Fouras and host Olivier Minne as they tend to drop oblique visual hints before and during filming.

What’s all that about? No idea. But he’s also put up a photo of a door in the shape of a monster’s head and what looks like a sort of 3D board-game of the Fort. Intriguing indeed. It will be interesting to see what they’ve nicked off The Cube this year and whether or not the show will be longer or shorter than last year, which frequently hit two hours fifteen and  was rather eye watering.

33 thoughts on “What’s the Fort got in store this year?

  1. Qusion

    Merry Boyard Speculation Month

    Another post suggests that Library has either had an ‘overgrown jungle’ makeover, or the cell is just something else now. Almost looks like there is a slide on the other side of the door.

    Oddly the CGI model seems to have the Watchtower placed at the Treasure Room gates and lack of stairs etc.The only shot I can find of the ground floor interior this year shows a load of building materials. Is something interesting afoot – no shots at all so far of the treasurer room door, and thats a pretty standard Boyard publicity shot.

    Lots of shots of the Fire Service working there, I wonder if they use it for dark-work training or if they are doing something particular – like pumping a lot of water?

    Finally there is a massive cargo net going from the second floor to the ground floor in several shots from different times, Some kind of new game maybe as I don’t recall that particular spot having a net in another game?

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Ooh, where are the photos for the last two paragraphs? Now that the platform can connect to the second floor perhaps there’s a revised Assault the Fort element?

      I’ve done some reading around and it sounds like the monster door replaces the Stretcher, whether it’s a new game or a ghost-train style reversioning I don’t know.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Some speculation that this keyhole shaped door is an Alice in Wonderland themed game, this would tally with that picture of the mushrooms in (what I reckoned was) the old cotton buds/handbike room that came up a while ago.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          Ah nice, thanks.

          It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the fire people were training in the underground tunnels, they do the same underneath my place of work.

          Reply
  2. Qusion

    Another new door has appeared, with the death mask of Tutankhamun featured. I wonder if it’s something brand new or just a redecoration of an existing room. I always preferred the old temple themed snake pit to the new submarine look, so maybe a new snakes game?

    Reply
  3. Qusion

    New photo on Twitter confirms Excalibur has survived being cut (pun intended).

    Also a shot of a pair of heavy double doors that I couldn’t quite place from a couple of days ago. I think maybe they are located where the escape the prison game ended last year, on the ground floor.

    If this is the case then there is a shiny new game beyond them, with a plain door with a tiny hatch in the door.

    Reply
    1. Brig Bother Post author

      Yes I’ve seen this picture, I think you’re right as to the location (it’s where the key used to be swam for, I can’t remember if the original oubliette from the 90s used to be there as well, which they repurposed for the Great Escape IIRC).

      Reply
    1. Alex

      Ooh, I like that. Having them just get up and try again instantly was too little a punishment for being knocked off in my opinion. It’s harder than the original Coton-Tige and easier than Poutre Jets d’Eau. Good.

      Reply
    2. Brig Bother Post author

      Ha ha ha, I love that, hopefully Mister Boo will put a bit more effort into it this year.

      The “official” Bother’s Bar Fort Boyard 2016 page will go up around the time the press releases start coming out.

      Reply
      1. Lee

        Unless if they get rid of the key required for the Cage and just allow it up to 3 keys to win. Or maybe the council could be worth keys or something.

        Reply
        1. Jack B

          I feel like the episodes will probably be the same length as last series. Considering they seem to have dropped the gaining access to the fort (the handprint device from the centre circle is gone)- allowing them to put an extra key game in the same time- all they really need to do is drop the sacrificing a key for the cage to accommodate.

          Reply
    1. Qusion

      Didn’t one team actually manage seven keys last season; given the format of the show this must never be allowed to happen. Therefore it’s either make another game a ridiculously unfair automatic lock in (We’re looking at you Torture Chamber) or make them get more keys.

      Reply
      1. Lee

        Pretty sure they stopped the clock too. And added it to clues.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          Yep, this is standard (albeit rare), although nobody has gone seven keys *and no prisoners* since Blanche.

          Incidentally there was a picture of DW dressed as Rouge taken on the Fort. Perhaps she’ll be in the cage “live” this time? Pre-records could be done at anytime and any place.

          Reply
          1. Brig Bother Post author

            Guillaume has suggested in an interview that it is possible and if it did happen Blanche would be dropped that week.

            I’m not sure I believe it.

          2. Lee

            I believe it. the likeyhood of the producers actually letting it happen is low. Since they liked to add in the games with the clue boxes around the end so they can control how long they get (Like that 1:30 cerce from a few years ago)

          3. Brig Bother Post author

            But that’s what I’m saying, if it looks like it could happen they’ll deliberately throw a spanner in.

            That Circe was unnatural, I remain convinced for many of the clue games they get a bit longer than the clock suggests and it gets edited down.

          4. Lee

            Looks like it will be 9 keys. There 2 contestants posing like passe partout with 9 fingers and a bunch of keys

          5. Alex

            I thought it was confirmed? I’ve seen 2015 photos of one of the episode’s production notes and all of the games had 2’00-2’45 clocks listed next to them. Whether or not they stick to those notes depending on the team’s performance remains to be seen.

  4. Qusion

    Masses of new information today.

    Alice in Wonderland will give the impression the candidate has shrunk as they cross giant spring loaded vegetables. Yes it’s the big red balls. It is indeed the keyhole door.

    The Library is now infested with snakes, no idea if the game remains the same.

    Star Wars involves one player piloting a ‘Spaceship’ which is hydraulic, while the other player can see a ball in a maze controlled by the tilt of the spaceship. Back story appears to imply the spaceship belongs to the Bogdanoff brothers

    The Mummy, is that game from Dero where they answer questions while being wrapped up.

    Ghost Train replaces Stretcher, and is the door with the monster face, and also include the traffic lights and ticket booth from Passe Muriale’s photos.

    Shooting Range is a thing, in the courtyard of the fort, no further details.

    Cant see what’s stolen from Cube, but they’ve definitely been shopping around elsewhere.

    A new variation on Dual Balance appears to have been added,

    Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Oh this sounds quite interesting, the team are going to see what adventures they’re going to face and who is going to be doing them and get a wildcard to change one they don’t think they can face.

        The entrance to the council is through a giant tiger’s mouth.

        With five teams still to film it’s very plausible that there is more to be revealed.

        Reply
    1. Mika

      Aw, kinda sad about Branchard, that was one of my favs. Though, any word if Ghost Train might have a similar element? (kinda seems like maybe an automated Tete Chercheuse…? I dunno)

      Library kinda sounds like it’s changing to that old rat game, but with snakes. (Can’t really imagine it staying the same game, having all those books falling about doesn’t really sound too good for the snakes)

      Also seems la Chambre froide is becoming an full-time key game now, with water clock. Which it probably always should’ve been, and I swear at least Quebec did at some point.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        Yes I think the Swedes do as well. Seems fair enough, although it was interesting to see an adventure with a slightly different theme.

        I do wonder if the Ghost Train is a retheming, Branchard is one of the show’s significant events, I think.

        Reply
        1. Alex

          We said exactly the same thing about Tapis Roulant and look what happened there.

          Reply

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