William Gallagher
Ahead of Ridley Scott and David Scarpa's "Napoleon" theatrical release, director Scott wants Apple TV+ to show a version that's almost two hours longer.
Originally to be called "Kitbag," Apple TV+ bought the rights to "Napoleon," enabling its script by David Scarpa to be produced, and to be directed by Ridley Scott. It's due to get a theatrical run from November 22, 2023, and stream shortly afterwards.
The film to be seen in theaters and on Apple TV+ clocks in at 158 minutes, or just over two and a half hours. But now Scott has told Empire magazine that there is a "fantastic" version that is 270 minutes — or just under four and a half hours.
"Fantastic" is the only direct quote Empire has about this extended version, but the magazine reports that Scott would love to have Apple TV+ eventually screen it. Reportedly, the greatly extended cut features more of Josephine's life before she met Napoleon.
Vanessa Kirby, who plays Josephine, notes that there are thousands of books about Napoleon and only, she says, about 60 on Josephine.
"What was so challenging, and kind of elusive, about her," she told Empire, "was that every single book, whether it was first-hand accounts, third-hand stories, documents, testimonies, and Napoleon's letters every single one was completely different."
"She was just this massive contradiction," continues Kirby. "Every time I thought I'd locked down, 'Okay, this is who she is, and I think I can get hold of this,' something would completely counteract it."
Separately, Apple TV+ has released a trailer for the film, which runs for a comparatively slight two and a half minutes.
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6 Comments
If it’s a Ridley Scott Film. I want to see it!!
I have a film threshold time of about 2 hours, very very few films are good enough for more.
This is the perfect function for a "studio" like Apple+! Create 2-hour movies for theaters and 3-hour+ director's cuts for online streaming! The best of both worlds and thy feed on each other with very little waste. Imagine how many versions of The Lord of the Rings could have been effectively edited and made available to generations of viewers if this had been part of the plan!! Tom Bombadil gives a "thumbs up!" Anyone who whines about anything over 2-hours can safely ignore it and be ignored.
In a world in which we have in excess of 2,400 hours of Gilligan’s Island in the bank, a couple of hours from a brilliant director about a significant topic doesn’t seem at all like a waste of time.
Make that 40 hours (2,400 minutes).