Could Ridley Scott be looking to outdo himself? If recent reports are accurate, the legendary filmmaker looks to put a daunting task ahead of viewers and give us his longest film ever.
A new report notes Scott has a four-and-a-half-hour director’s cut of Napoleon, his upcoming historical epic for Apple TV+.
World of Reel reveals part of the Empire Magazine spread on the film, reporting: “Napoleon is almost three hours long, although Scott has a ‘fantastic’ near four-and-a-half-hour cut, which features more of Joséphine’s life before she meets Napoleon. He’d love Apple (who funded the film) to eventually screen it. But what they have now is hardly slight.”
In the same article, the film’s actor Joaquin Phoenix dishes on the titular character, teasing all the possibilities. “It’s an astonishing story,” Phoenix says of Napoleon’s life. “Hopefully, we captured some of the most interesting moments.”
However, it’s to be noted that the MPAA has already rated the current Napoleon theatrical cut of 157 minutes, so the director’s cut will likely have to end up on the streamer.
With this director’s cut, it’s also refreshing to see that Scott wants to offer more time not to Phoenix’s Napoleon but to Vanessa Kirby as Empress Joséphine. The actress will likely play quite the scene-stealer, and any version that allows for more of that will be welcomed.
Directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by David Scarpa, “Napoleon” stars Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military leader. The film is an original and personal look at Napoleon’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, played by Vanessa Kirby. The film captures Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition, and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.
The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, 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, Phil Cornwell as Sanson ‘The Bourreau,’ Edouard Philipponnat as Tsar Alexander, Paul Rhys as Talleyrand, John Hollingworth as Marshall Ney, Gavin Spokes as Moulins and Mark Bonnar as Jean-Andoche Junot.
Napoleon is exclusively in theatres from November 22nd.
