Ok, so here it is. A trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” What do you think?
It looks like Scott is going for broke here. His ambitions look limitless, let’s hope he succeeds. Epic is the word that comes to mind when watching this trailer. The production design looks sublime, so does the photography.
I understand that Scott has been hit and miss his entire career, but there’s something wonderfully atmospheric about this footage. This will not turn Napoleon into any sort of hero, he was a tyrant, through and through, but also one of the most fascinating historical figures we’ve ever had.
Of course, Kubrick’s shadow will loom large and wide over this film. For decades his unrealized “Napoleon” screenplay has become one of the mythic lost projects in movie history. I’ve read that script a few times, it’s wonderful. This movie won’t come close to Kubrick’s vision.
Spielberg has been involved in adapting Kubrick’s screenplay since, at least, 2012, but he is also mounting a big production set for a seven-part HBO limited series. So, we’ll be getting that at least.
As for Scott, he’s had a 50-year-career as a hotshot filmmaker, I can count in just one hand the amount of active directors who’ve had the lasting impact that he’s had: “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Thelma and Louise,” “Gladiator,” “Black Hawk Down” …
As far as I’m concerned, Scott’s last GREAT movie was 2007’s “American Gangster,” but he’s had some good stuff released since then, notably “The Martian,” “The Last Duel,” “Prometheus” and “All the Money in the World.” There’s also a cultish fanbase that’s developed for his Cormac McCarthy-penned “The Counselor.”
“Napoleon,” set to be released in November, is 157 minutes. I had published four test-screening reactions of Scott’s film, they were as follows: masterpiece, masterpiece, mixed and negative.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.