Unveiling the Hidden Count: Exposing Napoleon's Epic Battles Beyond Ridley Scott's Film

Summary

Director Ridley Scott will only depict six of Napoleon's battles in the movie, choosing to focus on the most important ones of his career.

The film will delve into Napoleon's ascendancy and downfall, with a focus on his intricate connection with Empress Joséphine.

It will seamlessly blend grand-scale warfare enactments with intimate moments, offering valuable insights into the dynamics of both the political arena and personal relationships.

Director Ridley Scott has disclosed that his upcoming film, Napoleon, will depict six out of the 66 battles that the iconic military leader participated in throughout his career. Scott, who previously collaborated with actor Joaquin Phoenix on Gladiator, presents a monumental historical drama that showcases these battles in all their grandeur. Set to release on November 22, the movie illustrates Napoleon's remarkable ascent and downfall in both the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. With each battle staged uniquely and captured with 11 to 14 cameras, Scott was able to craft this epic war film in just 62 days.

Every scene is geometry. With the use of 11 to 14 cameras, we were able to film Napoleon within a span of 62 days. Presently, I am working on Gladiator 2, which we expect to complete in just 54 days. This is because we have eliminated the need for excessive takes using a single camera on one shot, followed by turning around. Even for a normal fight scene that could take up to a month, we manage to wrap it up in just six days. The resulting savings from this approach are truly staggering.

What To Expect From Ridley Scott's Napoleon Movie

Throughout his career, Napoleon engaged in numerous battles, with estimates ranging from 60 to 80 battles. Yet, it would be impractical to portray every single battle in a single movie. Consequently, Scott's epic likely focused on showcasing the pivotal battles that shaped Napoleon's career. These significant conflicts include Toulon, Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena-Auerstedt, Friedland, Borodino, Leipzig, Waterloo, and Trafalgar.

The content of the movie Napoleon focuses not only on portraying his brilliance on the battlefield but also on depicting his rise to power through his intense and unpredictable relationship with his wife, Empress Joséphine, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby. The script, written by David Scarpa from All the Money in the World, explores the politics of the bedroom as much as the battles fought. How the movie melds these intimate moments with the epic battle sequences will be revealed when it premieres in theaters on November 22.