Ridley Scott, the visionary behind cinematic marvels like Gladiator and Blade Runner, is once again in the limelight with his upcoming historical epic, Napoleon. The film, which is set to hit theaters on November 22, has been the subject of much discussion, particularly regarding its director's cut.
The theatrical release of Napoleon has a runtime of approximately 2 hours and 38 minutes. But, the English filmmaker has been vocal about a more extensive director's cut, which, as of recent updates, stands at a staggering 4 hours and 10 minutes. Speaking to Total Film, Scott remarked: I'm working on it. It was four [hours] 10 [minutes] this morning. And so what will happen is, we'll screen [the theatrical cut] first with Sony, and then it has its run, and then the perfect thing is that [the director's cut] goes to streaming, and we have four hours 10 minutes. Scott's penchant for director's cuts isn't new. His previous works, such as Blade Runner and Kingdom of Heaven, have seen extended versions that have provided audiences with a more in-depth exploration of the characters and the plot.
For Napoleon, this cut promises a more profound insight into the emperor's first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais, and explore her life before her fateful encounter with Napoleon.