Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby star in the film about the notorious military commander.

By Patrick Cremona

Published: Wednesday, 09 August 2023 at 18:03 PM

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Ridley Scott is by no means a stranger to the historical epic, with the likes of Gladiator and more recently The Last Duel among the relevant examples in the veteran director’s filmography.

Now the Alien and Blade Runner filmmaker is taking on the life of famed French military commander Napoleon Bonaparte, with Joaquin Phoenix taking on the main role in a film that looks set to be epic in every sense of the word.

Scott is by no means the first filmmaker to tackle the life of Napoleon: a legendary silent French film was made on the subject almost 100 years ago in 1927 – weighing in at over five hours long – while Stanley Kubrick famously planned a biographical epic that was never realised.

But if the trailer for this new film is anything to go by, cinemagoers will certainly be treated to something very special, complete with battles, pageantry, and all sorts of political intrigue.

So when can UK audiences expect to feast their eyes on Napoleon? And will it focus on a specific part of his life or is it… a little general? Read on for the answers to those questions and more.

Napoleon release date

Napoleon will be released in UK cinemas on Wednesday 22nd November 2023.

The film will later arrive on Apple TV+ at an as-yet unannounced date.

We’ll keep this page updated with the latest news about the streaming debut, as well as any possible changes to the current release date – so do keep checking back for the latest news.

Napoleon cast

The full list of actors appearing in the film is listed below:

• Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
• Vanessa Kirby as Empress Joséphine
• Tahar Rahim as Paul Barras
• Ben Miles as Caulaincourt
• Ludivine Sagnier as Theresa Cabarrus, Madame Tallien
• Matthew Needham as Lucien Bonaparte
• Youssef Kerkour as Marshal Davout
• Phil Cornwell as Sanson ‘The Bourreau’
• Édouard Philipponnat as Tsar Alexander I of Russia
• Ian McNeice as TBD
• Paul Rhys as Talleyrand
• Catherine Walker as Marie-Antoinette
• Gavin Spokes as Moulin
• John Hollingworth as Marshal Ney
• Mark Bonnar as Jean-Andoche Junot
• Anna Mawn as The Archduchess Marie-Louise
• Davide Tucci as Lazare Hoche
• Sam Crane as Jacques-Louis David
• Scott Handy as Marshal Berthier

Joaquin Phoneix is the star of the show as the titular Emperor and he’s joined by Vannessa Kirby as his wife Empress Joséphine – with The Crown star having replaced Jodie Comer after the latter dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

Other familiar names in the cast include The Serpent’s Tahar Rahim as politician Paul Barras and Hijack’s Ben Miles as Napoleon’s close advisor Caulaincourt, while there are also roles for the likes of Lupin’s Ludivine Sagnier, Sanditon’s Matthew Needham and Home’s Youssef Kerkour.

Napoleon plot

The film – which has a running time of more than two and a half hours – focuses mainly on the volatile relationship between Napoleon and Josephine while the former rose to power during the French Revolution.

An official synopsis reads: “The film takes a personal look at Napoleon Bonaparte’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.”

Apple TV+

Discussing the film with Empire, Ridley Scott said: “I compare him with Alexander The Great. Adolf Hitler. Stalin.”

He added: “Listen, he’s got a lot of bad s**t under his belt. At the same time, he was remarkable with his courage, and in his can-do and in his dominance. He was extraordinary.”

Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix commented: “Certainly speaking for myself, I actively wanted to avoid the conventions of the biopic.”

So, expect the unexpected.

Napoleon trailer

You can check out the trailer below to give you a flavour of what to expect – and it certainly looks set to be epic, featuring all sorts of naval battles, courtly dances, political machinations and more: