Ridley Scott’s Napoleon was released in cinemas in the US and UK yesterday (November 22), ahead of an eventual digital release.
The new movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as the historical military commander, Napoleon Bonaparte, and charts his rise to power, as well as his relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby).
According to an official synopsis, Napoleon “is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor”. It continued: “Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed”.
The film also stars the likes of Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles and Rupert Everett.
When is Napoleon on streaming?
No streaming release date has been announced for Napoleon at the time of writing. The film will first have to complete its cinematic run before being available to watch at home and could be released to buy or rent before it is available to stream as part of a subscription. Any digital release is likely to happen in 2024, potentially in the first months of the year, to secure more buzz in the lead-up to awards season. What we do know for sure, though, is when Napoleon is eventually available to stream, it will be released on Apple TV+.
As well as the original cut that is now in cinemas, a four-hour director’s cut will also be released on Apple TV+. The theatrical version spans 157 minutes.
Is there a trailer for the series?
Apple TV+ shared the first trailer for the movie earlier this year. The trailer opens in France in 1793 and teases scenes of death, battles and romance. Watch it above now.
Meanwhile, Scott has responded to French critics following negative reviews of the film. French GQ called it “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny”, while Le Figaro likened it to “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”.
“The French don’t even like themselves,” the director told the BBC. “The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”