“He came from nothing. He conquered everything.” So goes the tagline for Ridley Scott‘s upcoming historical epic “Napoleon,” in theaters this Thanksgiving. Of course, actual history is a little more nuanced than everything and nothing. But Napoleon’s stranglehold over France heading into the 19th century is one of the swiftest and most influential rises to power ever. And in the capable hands of Mr. Scott, Napoleon’s rise and fall may make for some entertaining maximalist filmmaking.
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So will “Napoleon” do its namesake justice in terms of scale, set design, etc.? One hopes so with a $130 million budget, but here’s a new clip from Scott’s film to whet the audience’s appetite. In the clip, Joaquin Phoenix‘s Napoleon has his coronation as Emperor of France in the Notre Dame Cathedral, along with Vanessa Kirby‘s Empress Joséphine. Not much in terms of action, per se, but a solid look at how painstakingly detailed this movie will be. Watch the clip below.
Along with Phoenix and Kirby, “Napoleon” also boasts an ensemble cast that includes Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, Youssef Kerkour, and Phil Cornwell. Rupert Everett, Phil Rhys, Catherine Walker, Gaving Spokes, John Hollingworth, and Mark Bonnar also star.
Scott directs a script by David Scarpa, who also pens Scott’s upcoming sequel “Gladiator 2.” The pair also worked together on Scott’s 2017 film “All The Money In The World.” Scarpa’s script charts Napoleon’s rise to power in France through his volatile, addictive, and generally contentious relationship with Joséphine. So for those who’d like “Napoleon” to focus more on other integral figures of Napoleon’s France like the diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, he’s unfortunately a tertiary figure in Scott’s focus.
But from sheer scope alone, “Napoleon” may be one of the most intriguing films on the Fall 2023 release calendar. And Apple Original Films think they have something special with it, so stay tuned on how this film does in theaters compared to other recent Scott films like “The Last Duel.” “Napoleon” hits theaters on November 22 and then streams exclusively on Apple TV+. Watch the new clip from the movie below.
