Apple has committed to financing and producing "Kitbag," an epic film directed by Ridley Scott that will star Joaquin Phoenix as French emperor and military leader Napoleon, according to Deadline. Phoenix is well known for his Oscar-winning performance as "Joker" in 2019, and he also played Roman emperor Commodus in Scott's epic film "Gladiator" in 2000. Production of the film is expected to begin in early 2022.
"Napoleon is a man I've always been fascinated by," Scott told Deadline. "He came out of nowhere to rule everything — but all the while he was waging a romantic war with his adulterous wife Josephine. He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn't, he conquered it to destroy her, and destroyed himself in the process."
"No actor could ever embody Napoleon like Joaquin," added Scott. "He created one of movie history's most complex Emperors in Gladiator, and we'll create another with his Napoleon. It's a brilliant script written by David Scarpa, and today there's no better partner than Apple to bring a story like this to a global audience."
"Kitbag" is one of several upcoming films coming to Apple TV+. A drama film "Palmer" starring Justin Timberlake is set to debut January 29, and an action-thriller film "Emancipation" starring Will Smith is in the early stages of development.
