Sony Pictures and Apple Originals on Monday released a new behind-the-scenes video of their forthcoming Napoleon, this one highlighting Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix in the title role.

His Gladiator director, Academy Award winner Ridley Scott, says, “I cast Joaquin because of his passion. He comes alive. He’s evolving into Napoleon Bonaparte.”

Scott calls the actor “one of the best.”

For her part, Vanessa Kirby, who plays Napoleon’s love Josephine, describes Phoenix as incredible. She enthuses that scenes with him felt really authentic, hailing his “capturing the idiosyncratic psychological portrait of this unpredictable personality.”

She added, “It was really amazing to watch him touch the really dark places.”

Of course, the featurette is also intercut with scenes from the biopic about the gifted soldier who becomes the emperor of France.

In fact, it shows the Joker star in character, crowning himself.

According to the studio, the film tracks “Napoleon Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.”

Napoleon will be released in theaters on November 22 by Sony Pictures; after that, it will stream on Apple TV+.

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