Ridley Scott made his directorial debut with The Duellists back in 1977, set during the Napoleonic Wars, and now returns to that period of history nearly half a century later with his latest feature. Focusing on the small man behind the big conflicts, Napoleon sees Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role for the story of the emperor’s epic rise and fall. Written by screenwriter David Scarpa, his military exploits are woven into the turbulent tale of his marriage to Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby), providing a study of the controversial character away from the brutality of the battlefield.

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