The title comes from the famous phrase "après moi, le déluge," attributed to Louis XV, King of France. He is said to have uttered it toward the end of his reign, referring to the chaos that would follow his death. The phrase reflects a fatalistic attitude toward the challenges that would befall France, such as those that culminated in the French Revolution during the reign of his successor, Louis XVI.
On set, alongside Gianluca Jodice, the film's director, there were four other directors present. Both lead actors, Guillaume Canet and Mélanie Laurent, are also directors, as are producer Matteo Rovere and associate producer Paolo Sorrentino.