After bursting the screen in Joker, Joaquin Phoenix will soon embody Napoleon Bonaparte for Ridley Scott. The first images of the actor made up as a French Emperor have fallen, and the result is quite impressive.
Joaquin Phoenix, Imperial
One of the best actors of his generation, Joaquin Phoenix loves challenges. The American actor, who deeply marked the spirits in Joker by Todd Philipps, won his first Oscar in 2020 for his portrayal of the Clown Prince Of Crime. Her fans wondered what her post-Oscar career would be like, and the answer can be summed up in two words: grandiose and surprising.
In effect, Joaquin Phoenix will soon appear in two highly anticipated feature films. For the first, it is Disappointment Blvd. by Ari Aster. Described as a four-hour horror comedy, this feature film the first collaboration between Phoenix and the new mastermind of horror cinemaAri Aster, to whom we owe the impressive Heredity and Midsommar.
The second movie is good Napoleonformerly titled kit bagby Sir Ridley Scott. After giving life to the Roman Emperor Commodus in Gladiator for the British filmmaker, the actor of The Master will embody the famous French Emperor, alongside Vanessa Kirby, who will play the role of Joséphine de Beauharnaisand Tahar Rahim, in that of Paul Barras.
Good news for fans of Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott, since the first images of the talented actor as Napoleon Bonaparte have just been unveiled.
The least we can say is that Joaquin Phoenix seems to wear Napoleon’s costume perfectly. Judging by these first two photos, the American actor brings a certain austerity and seriousness to the French historical figure.
Yes Napoleonwhich will air exclusively on AppleTV+ sometime in 2023, is highly anticipated among Ridley Scott fans, let’s agree that the feature film should be widely commented on, well beyond moviegoer circles, and this for many reasons. First of all, the very figure of Napoleon is controversial and divisive. Then, likeExodus in 2014 and the excellent The Last Duel in 2021, Ridley Scott called on American and British actors to play non-English speaking historical figures. The English filmmaker is likely to suffer some criticism on this subject.
Finally, we note that the film had its first controversy : initially, the role of Joséphine de Beauharnais was to be played by British actress Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), who had already starred under Scott in The Last Duel, in which she played Marguerite de Carrouges. However, this choice was strongly criticized, because of the age difference between Jodie Comer and Joaquin Phoenix, nineteen years her senior. An unjustified discrepancy from a historical point of view, given that Josephine de Beauharnais was six years older than Napoleon. The controversy prompted Jodie Comer to resign. She was then replaced by Vanessa Kirby.
Nevertheless, beyond the controversies, one can only predict the deep interest that will have for Napoleon Ridley Scott fans. In addition to the mastery of the filmmaker in terms of pure staging (which no longer needs to be proven), we can have fun with the fact that the action of his (excellent) first film, The Duelistswas already taking place in the Napoleonic era. We can also underline the deep interest that the English director seems to have for France, since after The Duelists, Kingdom of Heaven, A great year, Robin Hood and The Last Duel, it will be his sixth film whose action takes place partly in our country. We can’t wait to find out!
