The forthcoming epic Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Sir Ridley Scott, has released a first look picture and revealed a theatrical release date for later this year.
The historical film, previously known as Kitbag, is characterised as “an original and personal look at Napoleon Bonaparte’s origins and his swift, ruthless rise to emperor.”
It will also highlight the renowned French leader’s (Phoenix) often tumultuous relationship with his wife Josephine, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby.
In the first formal photograph of Napoleon, Phoenix is seen mounting a white horse and wielding his curved blade in combat, encircled by allies as they charge while flying the French flag.
The 48-year-old Oscar winner is front and center, dressed in dark blue military uniform with gold detailing and wearing Napoleon’s immediately identifiable cap, as seen in earlier pictures of him working on set in costume.
The film, a collaboration between Apple Studios and Sir Ridley’s Scott Free Productions, was known to be streaming exclusively on Apple TV Plus, as the streaming service continues its sweeping move into feature films with projects such as thriller Sharper, starring Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, and action rom-com Chris Evans and Ana de Armas were both ghosted.
Apple Original Films has revealed a partnership with Sony for Napoleon, offering the picture an exclusive worldwide theatrical run before its streaming debut.
The picture will be distributed in theatres on November 22 as part of the lucrative Thanksgiving slate in the United States.
It follows Apple’s news that, in collaboration with Paramount, it will release Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon in theatres on October 6 for a limited run before expanding nationally on October 20.
The Leonardo Di Caprio film will then be available on Apple TV Plus.Sir Ridley previously disclosed that he had essentially rewritten the entire screenplay for Phoenix due to the actor’s numerous questions, which the director affirmed he was also delighted to do.
‘Joaquin is about as far from conventional as you can get. Not deliberately, but out of intuition. That’s what makes him tick. If something bothers him, he’ll let you know,’ Sir Ridley shared.
Saying that he made the movie ‘special by constantly questioning’, the 85-year-old director added: ‘With Joaquin, we can rewrite the goddamn film because he’s uncomfortable. And that kind of happened with Napoleon.’
‘We unpicked the film to help him focus on who Bonaparte was. I had to respect that because what was being said was incredibly constructive. It made it all grow bigger and better,’ he told Empire magazine.
The Gladiator and Thelma & Louise filmmaker, who has two films coming out in 2021, House of Gucci and The Last Duel, called working with Phoenix “one of my most challenging but also one of my best experiences, with any actor.”
The Apple Original film was written by David Scarpa and stars Ben Miles, Ian McNeice from Doc Martin, Paul Rhys, and Matthew Needham from House of the Dragon.
Napoleon represents a return for Phoenix and Sir Ridley, who last collaborated on Gladiator over 20 years ago.
Phoenix is now busy filming musical Joker sequel Folie à Deux opposite Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, while Sir Ridley has fans excited by news of Gladiator 2.
Napoleon will be released in cinemas on November 22, before streaming on Apple TV Plus.
Source My Celebrity Life.