Ridley Scott has made so many iconic films in the past several decades that it's hard to even list them all. Some of the most prominent ones, however, are Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), and The Martian (2015). His next project will be a return to the historical epic and potentially one of his most ambitious movies in years, Napoleon.

Update November 13, 2023: Napoleon is set for release next week, so this article has been updated with even more information about the upcoming film.

Napoleon will follow the life of the famous French general and emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Originally titled Kitbag, the film was announced back on October 14, 2020, on the same day he finished filming The Last Duel. The film is fast approaching and has now become one of the most anticipated films of the year, as well as a potential Oscar front-runner. With that in mind, here is everything we know about Napoleon.

Napoleon: The Plot

The movie will follow Napoleon's rise to power and the vicissitudes of his relationship with his wife, Empress Joséphine. In an interview with Deadline, Scott said:

“Napoleon is a man I've always been fascinated by. He came out of nowhere to rule everything—but all the while he was waging a romantic war with his adulterous wife Joséphine. He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn't, he conquered it to destroy her, and destroyed himself in the process.”

Napoleon is set to follow the omnipotent and all-conquering Emperor from his humble roots on the small, unassuming isle of Corsica, and then subsequently made his ascent to power. Scott’s new historical classic will traverse this ambitious and highly daring man’s climb to the very summit of world dominance, as he goes from a ranking official in the French Army, where he would partake in key battles during the French Revolution, to establishing himself as one of the most, if not the most powerful men in the world.

The tale of Le Petit Caporal has always been based on the fascinating power struggle and ardent belief that he was a born ruler. From his rise to essentially colonizing half of the world through many a bloody and triumphant battle, the chronicle of Napoleon Bonaparte is by no means a smooth-sailing saga. Naturally, a film on Napoleon’s life wouldn’t be complete without his tumultuous and impassioned relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais at its very center. This is set to be a film detailing the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of one of the most notorious and villainous tyrants in recorded history.

Napoleon: The Cast

As has been established since the project’s conception, the role of Napoleon Bonaparte will be played by Joaquin Phoenix (Joker, Her, Gladiator), who is particularly known for his often buoyant displays as dark and troubled characters. In an interview with Deadline, Ridley Scott said, “No actor could ever embody Napoleon like Joaquin. He created one of movie history’s most complex Emperors in Gladiator, and we’ll create another with his Napoleon.”

Napoleon's wife, Empress Joséphine, will be played by Vanessa Kirby, who portrayed Princess Margaret in The Crown and the arms dealer White Widow in Mission: Impossible—Fallout; the British actress will undoubtedly complement Joaquin and his volatile on-screen character.

Other notable cast members include French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim (A Prophet), who plays Paul Barras, a leading politician of the French Revolution who was head of the governmental Directory when Napoleon launched his coup; House of Gucci’s Edouard Philipponnat is set to portray Alexander I of Russia, House of the Dragon and Chornobyl star, Matthew Needham is confirmed to be playing Napoleon’s brother, Lucien, and debutant, Anna Mawn is set to present Napoleon’s second wife, Marie-Louise.

Everything Else We Know

Napoleon is written by David Scarpa, who previously worked with Scott on All the Money in the World, and is currently working with him on Gladiator 2. The film is being produced by both Scott and Kevin J. Walsh, whose credits include Manchester by the Sea, All the Money in the World, and Death on the Nile.

The film will reportedly contain six major battle sequences. These will include the Siege of Toulon and the Battle of Marengo. The Siege of Toulon was Napoleon's first major victory as a young officer. The Battle of Marengo took place in June 1800, part of the War of the Second Coalition between Revolutionary France and several other monarchies of Europe. The battle itself was in northern Italy, and Napoleon defeated the Austrian army despite his opponents' surprise attack. It was a major victory and solidified Napoleon's power as the leader of France following his coup d'état several months earlier. Despite some factual inaccuracies pointed out by eagle-eyed historians, Ridley Scott has quickly dismissed criticisms by telling them to "get a life."

Filming is believed to have taken place in a variety of locations in England, including Lincoln, Buckinghamshire, Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, and Boughton House in Kettering. Filming also took place in Malta, an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. There resides Fort Ricasoli, an actual fort that saw fighting during the time of Napoleon. Employed as the setting for one of the film’s key battles, the Siege of Toulon.

Release Date

Napoleon will be distributed by Apple Studios and will be released in theaters on November 22, 2023, as the theatrical release will make it eligible for the Academy Awards. Soon after, it will arrive on AppleTV+ sometime in 2024. In addition, Scott has spoken about there being a four-hour director's cut of the movie that he intends to release on AppleTV+.

The movie will open on Thanksgiving weekend and will go head-to-head with Disney's Wish, making it a repeat of Thanksgiving 2021, where Ridley Scott's House of Gucci faced off against Disney's Encanto. In addition, AppleTV+ competitor, Netflix, will release Maestro, starring Bradley Cooper as composer Leonard Bernstein. That film is poised to be another big awards contender against Napoleon.