It’s Joaquin Phoenix’s turn to be a short king. The Beau Is Afraid actor stars in Ridley Scott’s upcoming historical war epic from a script written by David Scarpa, set in Napoleonic France during the emperor in question’s series of brutal, ego-driven wars. While Napoleon found himself at the center of a whole mess of drama (historic terms), the film will only feature six battles that he fought in—apologies in advance for the history geeks hoping to see more action. There is some good news for the nerds: Scott shared to Total Film that a four-hour director’s cut of the film will arrive on Apple TV+ later, specifically after the reg ol’ theatrical version has hit the cinemas. But what will the four-hour movie entail?
What does the movie look like?
In the film’s first trailer, we see Phoenix use the instability of revolutionary France for his benefit, attacking rebels to gain a foothold in the country’s power vacuum after the beheading of Sofia Coppola muse Marie Antoinette (Catherine Walker). “We must make an example or France will fall,†a general says. What would he do if the assignment of defense was transferred to him? “I promise you brilliant successes,†Phoenix guarantees. Cue opening cannon fire on civilians protesting in the streets. Soon enough, he meets his lover and chief strategist Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby), and together they take the throne, plot to bulldoze Europe, blow up Egyptian antiquities, and invade Russia in the winter. “You think you’re great,†she tells her ambitiously deranged husband in between scenes of absolute carnage. “You’re just a tiny little brute.â€
In the second trailer, Napoleon is called a “warrior emperor general genius rebel tyrant,†in the title cards, which is honestly a lot to take on. But we might add one more title to his long list: sassy old queen. Seriously, this man gets more bitchy lines out than most competitors on Drag Race. “I must warn you, I will not lead as second-in-command,†he boasts. Slay. “I found the crown of France in the gutter, and place it atop my own head.†Slay x2. And then the tour de force: “Shhh.†[insert sassy little finger here] “Whose country are we in?†There is an epidemic of sassy men, and Napoleon himself is on the front lines.
Who else is in the movie?
Besides Phoenix as Napoleon and Kirby as Joséphine, the cast includes Tahar Rahim as Directory politician Paul Barras, Ben Miles as chief advisor Caulaincourt, and Matthew Needham as brother Lucien Bonaparte.
When does it come out?
Napoleon invades theaters November 22. A four-hour director’s cut will arrive on Apple TV+ at a later date.