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Ahead of its Thanksgiving premiere, Napoleon dropped the first trailer. Lasting almost three minutes, the promotional clip details the French military commander’s rise to power.
It also showcases the strong influence his wife Josephine de Beauharnais had on him. The upcoming feature stars Joaquin Phoenix in the titular character and English actress Vanessa Kirby as Empress Josephine.
Though the trailer is engaging, thanks to stunning visuals and powerful performances, it didn’t have the same impact on netizens. When Discussing Film shared the same, most objected to the usage of the English language for a French Emperor-led flick.
One said:
"English accents in 18th century France. I missed a history lesson somewhere."
Helmed by Ridley Scott in his first and only directorial of 2023, the feature was in development since 2020. It was earlier titled Kitbag, taken from the saying, “There is a general's staff hidden in every soldier's kitbag.”
The quote indeed fits Napoleon Bonaparte like a glove, but the team attached to the historical movie eventually went for a name change last year. As of now, it's slated to hit cinema halls on November 22, 2023.
"Should have used French accents," disappointed fans comment on Napoleon trailer
As per IMDb, the synopsis reads:
“The film is an original and personal look at Napoleon Bonaparte's origins and his swift, ruthless climb to (being) the emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.”
The 2:38-minute-long trailer for Napoleon, which starts with a scene in France in 1793, almost toes the line of this summary. Joaquin Phoenix, as is expected from an actor of his stature, captures every frame he is in. Kirby, too, successfully establishes the control Josephine had over the king.
The other actors play their parts very well, too, reflecting Scott’s ace directional skills. While the performances gained praise, the trailer overall left viewers with a sour aftertaste.
Hence when the pop culture portal Discussing Film dropped the same, they showered it with a mostly lukewarm response. Most of the remarks were directed at the usage of the English language for a French ruler-based movie.
Earlier in 2021, when Deadline Hollywood asked why he chose the French emperor as his next project, the House of Gucci helmer said:
“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.”
Reports stated that at first, the 20th Century Studios was aboard the film, but after Scott's deal fell through, Apple Studios announced their commitment towards the same in 2021.
