Right now that Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott are once again in the spotlight, the former with the upcoming theatrical release of the sequel to Gladiator, and the latter with the red carpet in Venice for Joker: Folie à Deux, Apple TV+ has taken the opportunity to release the extended version with the director's cut of Napoleon, the movie they collaborated on in 2023. 

With Phoenix in the role of the French emperor and Vanessa Kirby as Josephine, the latest historical superproduction from the director of The Last Duel and Blade Runner is described as "the relentless journey to power of Napoleon Bonaparte through the prism of his addictive and volatile relationship with his true love, Empress Josephine. It shows his visionary military and political tactics in some of the most dynamic battle sequences ever filmed."

Directed by Ridley Scott from a script by David Scarpa (All the Money in the World), it stars Phoenix in the role of the French emperor and military leader, and Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Pieces of a Woman) playing Josephine. The cast also includes Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Ludvine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, Youssef Kerkour, Phil Cornwell, Ian McNeice, and Paul Rhys.

This historical epic is the definitive biopic about the commander of the French Revolutionary Wars, an original and personal look at the origins of Napoleon and his rapid and ruthless ascent. The film captures Napoleon's famous battles, his relentless ambition, and his astonishing strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.

"Napoleon is a man who has always fascinated me," Scott said in statements to Deadline in 2021, when the project was announced under the title Kitbag, "He rose from nothing to rule it all, but in the meantime he maintained a romantic war with his adulterous wife Josephine," he added. "He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn't, he conquered it to destroy her, and he destroyed himself in the process."

Napoleon received three Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. The film also received BAFTA Award nominations for Best British Film of the Year, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, and Best Special Effects.

What the director's cut includes

This Director's Cut is an extended version with an additional 48 minutes supervised by Scott himself, delving into Josephine's story and featuring more extravagant costumes, new and more spectacular settings, and the unreleased Battle of Marengo scene.

In addition, the audience will get more details on the end of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his assassination attempt to his failed invasion of Russia. The total footage of Napoleon in this extended version has a duration of four hours. 

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence