‘Napoleon’: New Image Teases Joaquin Phoenix’s Conqueror!! Check It Out!!

One of the buzziest films of the year is undoubtedly Apple Studios‘ Napoleon, which will tell the life of the famed French general and emperor. Ahead of the film’s slated November release, Empire has unveiled a new look at Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role.

The image shows off Phoenix‘s Napoleon Bonaparte on horseback, appearing to either lead his men on a charge or oversee one of the many large-scale battles of his military campaign. The image also depicts Napoleon in his trademark bicorne hat, while additionally brandishing a large sword. It is unclear at what point in Napoleon’s life this image takes place, but Phoenix appears to portray the general in a contemplative state, perhaps as he is just getting ready for battle.

Napoleon is directed by Ridley Scott, who told Empire of the general, “I compare him with Alexander The Great. Adolf Hitler. Stalin. 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.” Phoenix had a similar mantra, telling Empire he wanted to subvert the heroic expectations of the character. “That’s definitely something we wanted to avoid,” Phoenix said. “Certainly speaking for myself, I actively wanted to avoid the conventions of the biopic.” The Oscar-winner added:

“If you want to really understand Napoleon, then you should probably do your own studying and reading. Because if you see this film, it’s this experience told through Ridley’s eyes. It’s just such a complex world. I mean, it’s so f**king complex. What we were after was something that would capture the feeling of this man.”

napoleon-joaquin-phoenix-empire — Image via Empire Magazine

Napoleon Is Hotly Anticipated

While the image may be ambiguous, one thing that is not is the buzz over Napoleon. The film is already generating Oscar talk, especially after the recent release of its first trailer, which showed the wide scale and epic battles that Scott’s project will display. The film’s ensemble cast is also likely to help create more fervor. Alongside Phoenix as the titular general, Napoleon stars Vanessa Kirby as his wife and consort Joséphine, Ben Miles as Napoleon’s advisor Caulaincort, Tahar Rahim as politican Paul Barras, Matthew Needham as Napoleon’s brother Lucien, Ludivine Sangier as socialite Madame Tallien, Catherine Walker as Marie-Antoinette and more.

The film is something of a passion project for Scott, who directed Napoleon from a screenplay by David Scarpa. Scott also produced the film through his Scott Free Productions banner alongside Phoenix, Mark Huffam and Kevin J. Walsh, with executive producers Aidan Elliot and Michael Pruss. Though the film comes from Apple, the studio has partnered with Sony Pictures to distribute it theatrically prior to a streaming release.