The anticipated Napoleon has finally received a trailer that gives a glimpse at the carefully designed 1700s France and its flamboyant emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (played by the brilliant Joaquin Phoenix). This Ridley Scott epic seems to be in the veins of some of the director’s best works like Gladiator and Blade Runner, with extremely elaborate visuals and a perfect mise-en-scene.
However, the Apple TV+ film was reportedly not as character-centric as it is now. Director Ridley Scott previously revealed that Joaquin Phoenix was one of the primary reasons for this big change as he constantly tried to fiddle with one of history’s greatest characters, slowly resulting in a character-centric film with Phoenix leading the way with his portrayal.
Speaking to Empire in an older interview, director Ridley Scott admitted that it was very difficult to film with Phoenix, who wanted every bit of perfection in the characters he played. Scott said:
“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. He made [Napoleon] special by constantly questioning. 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 further added:
“With Napoleon, I think we dug in and found the character, or as close to what he may have been. Joaquin is probably the most special, thoughtful actor I’ve ever worked with.”
Napolean is set to release on November 22, 2023, with a premiere later premiere date set for Apple TV+.
Napoleon trailer: The World of the French Revolution and Beyond
Napoleon has been under work for a long time. After a long wait and anticipation, the trailer for the film was released on July 10, 2023. This vivid and beautiful trailer gives a glimpse at the carefully designed world of France and the tyrant’s rise over the years that followed the famed French Revolution.
The trailer also gave a glimpse at the beautifully made battle scenes with elaborate visuals and great action choreography. Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal also stands out in the trailer, with the brilliant actor once again depicting his range and craft at full display.
It is also quite apparent from the trailer that the relationship between Napoleon and Empress Joséphine, which was renowned as a volatile one, will be one of the key things in the film’s storyline.
The synopsis for the film reads:
“A look at the military commander’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.”
Apart from Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role, the film stars Vanessa Kirby as Empress Joséphine, Tahar Rahim as Paul Barras, Ben Miles as Caulaincourt, Ludivine Sagnier as Theresa Cabarrus, Matthew Needham as Lucien Bonaparte, Youssef Kerkour as Marshal Davout, and Phil Cornwell as Sanson ‘The Bourreau,’ among many others.
