Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ Unveils Epic Battle Scene at CinemaCon

Napoleon is on his way.

During Monday night’s Sony presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the studio revealed the first footage ever of Ridley Scott’s epic from Apple Original Films. Directed by Scott from a screenplay by David Scarpa, Napoleon stars Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. The feature is notable as it signals Apple is serious about entering the theatrical space, which is welcome news for theater owners.

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Sony film boss Tom Rothman introduced the footage, noting the film will have a “robust theatrical window and a full-throttle marketing campaign before moving to Apple TV+.” He added to theater owners, “We trust you will all give maximum support to this film,” as it could portend more cooperation between theaters and streamers to come.

Rothman noted that an epic tale of this scale has not been seen in years.

Indeed, the footage shown supports that notion. The moody scene takes place on a snowy battle field, as Napoleon led enemy troops onto a frozen lake, and then proceeds to rain cannon fire down as soldiers fall into the water, bodies and blood mixing. Napoleon stands from a hilltop, watching his carnage unfold. (For those curious, Phoenix does not seem to be speaking in a French accent in the film.)

“Epic is the only proper description of that Apple Original Film,” Rothman said after showing the scene.

The film is said to be an “original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine, played by Vanessa Kirby.” Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Matthew Needham and Ludivine Sagnier round out the cast.

An Apple Studios production in conjunction with Scott Free Prods., Napoleon is produced by Scott, Kevin Walsh, Mark Huffam and Phoenix with Michael Pruss and Aidan Elliott serving as executive producers. Apple announced earlier this month that Scott’s film will first be released exclusively in theaters across the globe in partnership with Sony on Nov. 22. After its theatrical run, Napoleon will then stream globally on Apple TV+.

Apple is charting a similar rollout for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon in partnership with Paramount Pictures. Apple’s slate also includes such films as Tetris starring Taron Egerton, the documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Underrated: Stephen Curry, Ghosted starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, the spy thriller Argylle with Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose and Samuel L. Jackson, and more.

CinemaCon, the official convention of National Association of Theatre Owners, is being held inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from April 24-27. Sony Pictures Entertainment kicked off the studio presentations on Monday night by teasing its 2023 slate and beyond.

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