“Napoleon” stands as one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, and at its helm is Joaquin Phoenix, who undoubtedly will make his presence felt in awards season as he portrays the French General, conqueror, and Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Director Ridley Scott’s choice of Phoenix for the lead role in his historical epic can be attributed to the actor’s celebrated performance in “Joker.”
Back in July, Scott revealed to Empire Magazine that Phoenix’s portrayal in “Joker” had convinced him that the actor was the perfect fit to embody Napoleon. In a recent interview with Deadline, the “Gladiator” maestro reiterated how profoundly impressed he was by Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips’ billion-dollar blockbuster. However, Scott also voiced his criticism of “Joker.”
“I was blown away by ‘Joker.’ I didn’t like the celebration of violence, but Joaquin was remarkable. I thought he would be a significant asset to ‘Napoleon,’ both creatively and commercially. I only had two actors in mind for the role. I won’t mention the other one,” stated the accomplished filmmaker.
A VALID CRITIQUE OF “JOKER”!
This critique strikes a chord with many viewers and critics who found “Joker” to be problematic. Even though the DC adaptation pleasantly deviated from the typical comic book film formula, focusing more on character study akin to Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, and Abel Ferrara, the handling of the Joker character itself raises ethical concerns. We, too, had our reservations about the film, as outlined in our official Movipage review.
While it would be intriguing to know who Ridley Scott had in mind as an alternative to Joaquin Phoenix for “Napoleon,” it’s safe to say that he made a secure and excellent choice with Phoenix. The two previously collaborated on “Gladiator,” where Phoenix received an Oscar nomination for his brilliant portrayal of the cunning Commodus. The same is expected for “Napoleon.”
“Napoleon” is set to premiere in theaters on November 23, followed shortly by its availability on the AppleTV+ streaming service. Furthermore, Joaquin Phoenix will return to the big screen in “Joker 2” in 2024, with a domestic release date of October 8th.