As many writers say, "all writing is just rewriting." This seems to be the case for Ridley Scott's upcoming movie Napoleon. The Alien director recently gave insight into what filming was like with method actor Joaquin Phoenix.
Scott and Phoenix are far from strangers to one another, as the two worked together on the set of Gladiator. Both the actor and the director have cinematic impacts through the films they put out. One of Phoenix's most recent films, Joker, catapulted him into a character who audiences loved but feared. Scott's portrayal of the Gucci family and Patrizia Reggiani's hold on them left viewers rooting for the anti-hero. While the two have gone their separate ways throughout the years, they are back again, and this time it's for another period piece, this one based on the ruler Napoleon Bonaparte.
While it may not always go well for actors when they request a rewrite or even when they question their characters and their actions, for Phoenix, things are a little different. During an interview with Empire, Scott said he rewrote the entire Napoleon script based on notes from Phoenix. "Joaquin is about as far from conventional as you can get. Not deliberately, but out of intuition. That’s what makes him tick. If something bothers him, he’ll let you know." Scott continued, saying, "With Joaquin, we can rewrite the goddamn film because he's uncomfortable, and that kind of happened with Napoleon. We unpicked the film to help him focus on who Bonaparte was. I had to respect that because what was being said was incredibly constructive. It made it all grow bigger and better."
The director also explained why he was so drawn to the French Emperor. "He came out of nowhere to rule everything but all the while he was waging a romantic war with his adulterous wife Josephine," Scott said of Napoleon. "He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn't, he conquered it to destroy her, and himself in the process." This epic has been well-thought-out, especially with Phoenix and Scott working together to figure out who Napoleon was, internally.
It's no doubt that audiences will be excited about Napoleon. In this case, having a fresh set of eyes can enhance a story. Phoenix took the character to a place he understands, while Scott made changes to make the film even bigger than he imagined. That said, audiences should prepare for a story about love and conquering the world. There is still no word on an exact release date, but the Apple TV Plus movie is set to come out later this year.
Source: Empire