“Gladiator” reunion after more than 20 (!) years: the first picture of Joaquin Phoenix in Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” epic

Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott made another movie together more than 20 years after ‘Gladiator’ – and this time they even played the star of ‘Joker’! In the first picture to “NapoleonPhoenix can also be seen in the title rolegalloping across a field with a group of French soldiers, brandishing their sabers and waving their flags:

“Napoleon” (formerly known as “Kitbag”) was made for the Apple TV+ streaming service, but will also be released in theaters beforehand. And the date is a pretty clear indication that Apple expects a lot from “Napoleon”…

Oscar hope “Napoleon”?

Than the historical epic is scheduled to hit US theaters on November 22, 2023, just in time to position itself for the 2024 Academy Awards. Movies for which the studios (or streaming providers) imagine an Oscar opportunity come out in the fall and winter of the previous year in most cases. Joaquin Phoenix could potentially win his second Best Actor Oscar (after “Joker”) or at least his fifth nomination.

Apple has teamed up with distributor Sony for theatrical release. A German launch date has not yet been announced, but we assume that “Napoleon” will also come to the cinemas in this country. And not just because Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott are big names, but also because of another movie:

For example, the theatrical release date of Martin Scorsese’s Apple production “Killers Of The Flower Moon” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, among others, has recently been announced and will also hit German cinemas on October 19, 2023.

But back to “Napoleon”: the movie should, unsurprisingly, revolve around the life of Napoleon Bonaparte and his steep climb to become military leader and emperor of France. The focus is not only on Napoleon’s famous battles, his great ambitions and his tactical genius, but also on his fragile and explosive relationship with his great love Josephine. Josephine is played by Vanessa Kirby (“The Crown”, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”).

It is not yet clear when “Napoleon” will appear on Apple TV+.