As a cinephile who has been fortunate enough to witness the evolution of cinema over several decades, I must say that Ridley Scott’s latest offering, Napoleon: The Director’s Cut, is an intriguing addition to his impressive filmography. Known for his penchant for extended cuts and meticulous attention to detail, Scott has once again delivered a lengthy epic that, at 3.5 hours, becomes the longest movie of his career.
2023 saw Ridley Scott’s film Napoleon face a less-than-warm welcome upon its release. Critics pointed out historical inconsistencies and bemoaned its underwhelming box office performance that barely scraped together enough revenue to recoup its staggering $200 million budget. However, it found success on Apple TV+, and is now aiming for another round of acclaim. Despite earlier hints about a Director’s Cut, fans were taken aback when the updated movie, boasting an additional 48 minutes of unseen footage, appeared on Apple TV+.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the new footage expands the initial movie duration from 157 minutes to a lengthy 205 minutes, which is nearly three and a half hours. Originally, Scott had disclosed to Total Film that his personal edit was approximately 250 minutes long, suggesting that he’s been more restrained than expected in deciding the runtime for the released version. Scott announced this updated release via social media in a video, expressing his eagerness and addressing fans as “Hello, internet dwellers!” He further revealed that the extended version of the film would be exclusively accessible on Apple TV+, featuring fresh footage.
The movie titled “Napoleon,” written by David Scarpa, was steered both in direction and production by Scott. In this film, Joaquin Phoenix portrays the real-life figure Napoleon Bonaparte. The story delves into Napoleon’s relationship with Josephine (played by Vanessa Kirby), as well as his journey through his military career. The movie also includes various dramatic battle scenes from Bonaparte’s military career. Alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Tahar Rim, Rupert Everett, Ben Miles, and Ludivine Sangier also lend their talents to the cast. It received nominations for three Academy Awards in the categories of Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Visual Effects.
Scott’s filmography, spanning nearly five decades since 1977, is rich with extended cuts. The longest movie in his career is Napoleon: The Director’s Cut, running for 3.5 hours, surpassing the 189-minute Director’s Cut of Kingdom of Heaven. Few filmmakers have produced as many extended versions of their films as Scott, with 11 out of his 28 feature films having different variations. With the growth of streaming platforms, the director now has an ideal platform for such projects.
Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and The Martian have all received extended cuts. Some fans enthusiastically called the extended cuts better than the theatrical versions, mostly for Blade Runner and Kingdom of Heaven. Scott and his collaborators have also claimed that several movies that have not received a Director’s Cut do have longer versions that could be released, including Black Rain, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, The Last Duel and House of Gucci.
What’s Next For Ridley Scott?
In collaboration yet again, Scarpa and Scott join forces for the upcoming movie titled “Gladiator II“, a sequel to the highly-admired 2000 film “Gladiator“. The original production saw Russell Crowe in the lead role and was universally lauded by both critics and viewers, earning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In this new installation, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielson, Fred Hechinger, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington take on the leading roles. Derek Jacobi and Nielsen will be reprising their characters from the prior film.
The narrative centers around Lucius, once the presumed heir to the Roman Empire, who transitions into a gladiator after his residence is overtaken by the Roman Army. Scott opines that “Gladiator II” might be his finest work yet. As of now, “Gladiator II” is set to debut initially in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2024, followed by a US release on November 22, coinciding with the highly anticipated movie musical, “Wicked“.
You can stream
Napoleon: The Director’s Cut
on Apple TV+ now.
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2024-08-31 20:31