‘Napoleon’ trailer: Joaquin Phoenix turns conqueror in Ridley Scott’s historical epic

Ridley Scott's return to the historical action epic genre is showcased in the initial trailer for Napoleon, which also emphasizes the reunion between the acclaimed director and Joaquin Phoenix, his Academy Award-winning star from Gladiator.

 “I’m the first to admit when I make a mistake,” says Bonaparte (Phoenix) at one point in the trailer, “I simply never do.”

The trailer exhibits a series of grandiose battle sequences that depict the life of the French military strategist and statesman, Napoleon Bonaparte.

He gained recognition during the French Revolution and achieved triumph in numerous campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars, culminating in his coronation as Emperor of the French in 1804.

The project also released a poster with the marketing tagline: “He came from nothing. He conquered everything.” In a 2021 interview, Scott told Deadline, “Napoleon is a man I’ve always been fascinated by. He came out of nowhere to rule everything — but all the while he was waging a romantic war with his adulterous wife Josephine."

"He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn’t, he conquered it to destroy her, and destroyed himself in the process.”

He added, “No actor could ever embody Napoleon like Joaquin. He created one of movie history’s most complex Emperors in Gladiator, and we’ll create another with his Napoleon.”

Co-produced by Sony Pictures and Apple Original Films, Napoleon will be released in theaters by Sony Pictures on November 22, 2023, before making its debut on Apple TV+ at a later time.