I’m just going to say it out loud, Napoleon is Ridley Scott’s worst film in the recent past. We’ve wasted enough time already, we have to stop justifying the film out of respect for Scott. Napoleon is the prime example of a veteran creator losing objectivity in his work and becoming extremely self-indulgent. I don’t know what Scott intended to achieve with this film but I’m sure whatever it was he didn’t accomplish it, despite all his self-justifying interviews. Avid fans of Ridley Scott are also defending him because as what we saw wasn’t his original vision rather a chopped down version of it.
We all know that Scott’s cut of Napoleon was over 4 hours long which he later had to bring down to 2 hours and 40 minutes. Fans believe that since more than an hour of the film was cut, it was natural for it to seem unfinished and fragmented. Well, I can see the possibility. But if that’s the case, then where is the director’s cut? It was announced a long time ago but no one has updated us on the matter. Well, here’s everything we know about it.
Napoleon Will Start Streaming Soon on Apple TV+!
When To Stream reveals that Ridley Scott’s Napoleon will start streaming on the studio’s in-house streamer – Apple TV+ from March 1st, 2024. This theatre to streaming window is slightly longer then what we’ve seen earlier with Apple. Whenever I talk about the release windows of Napoleon, I always like to take an example of Killers of the Flower Moon.
Because both are mega scale productions from Apple TV+, directed by veteran directors that didn’t do well at the box office. It is also important to note that both the films had eerily similar theatre to digital window. KOTFM – 46 days and Napoleon – 48 days. Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon officially started streaming on Apple TV+ from January 12th, 2024, 85 days after its theatrical debut.
In contrast, Napoleon has gotten a theatrical to streaming window of 101 days. Now, talking about Napoleon’s 4 hour long director’s cut. Neither Scott nor Apple TV+ has revealed any information about the same. Reportedly, Ridley Scott is currently working on the director’s cut but has no plans to rush. The veteran director is taking his sweet time to make the cut.
It makes sense, after butchering Napoleon’s theatrical cut, Scott would want to get this one right. He has had a history of making multiple cuts for his films until he gets it right, ahem…ahem… Blade Runner. Hopefully, whenever the director’s cut comes out, it will be a superior product than the theatrical version.
Napoleon is helmed by Ridley Scott and penned down by David Scarpa. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role and Vanessa Kirby as Empress Jose. The supporting cast includes Edouard Philipponnat, Anna Mawn, Youssef Kerkour and Matthew Needham.
Napoleon is now available for rent or purchase on digital and VOD platforms.
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