Box office: Joaquin Phoenix's 'Napoleon' earns just over Rs. 1cr
Joaquin Phoenix galloped into Indian theaters on Friday (November 24) as French emperor and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte in Ridley Scott's epic war drama Napoleon. The film deals with several military conquests of Napoleon's life and zooms in on the relationship he shared with his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. Pitted against Farrey and Starfish in India, the Hollywood film made Rs. 1.2cr on Friday.
Why does this story matter?
Napoleon is the second collaboration between Academy Awardee Phoenix and 85-year-old Scott after their 2000 film Gladiator, which was also a period drama mounted on a grand scale. The makers have clarified that Napoleon is not a biopic and shouldn't be viewed like that, with several cinematic liberties peppered through out the drama. Scott is also eyeing the upcoming Oscars with this venture.
Looking at 'Napolean' in numbers
Trade industry tracker website Sacnilk reported that Napoleon minted Rs. 1.2cr on its opening day in India. It reportedly had an overall frequency of 10.92% (English shows). The maximum turnout was witnessed during the night shows (13.14%), followed by the evening shows (11.34%). Napoleon needs to buckle up at the box office as it has time till the arrival of Animal and Sam Bahadur.
More about film and its cast ensemble
In addition to Phoenix, the film also stars Vanessa Kirby, Ben Miles, Catherine Walker, and Davide Tucci, among others. Kirby has played the role of de Beauharnais. It is written by David Scarpa, known for The Man in the High Castle and The Last Castle. Separately, Scott earlier called Bonaparte "extraordinary" while comparing him to Alexander the Great, Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Stalin.
Here's why Phoenix said yes to the film
Phoenix earlier told Empire, "I had such an incredible experience working with Ridley on Gladiator. I yearned for that experience again or something similar." "He's approached me about other things [previously], but nothing that felt like it would be as demanding for both of us. And so I really liked the idea of jumping into something with Ridley that was going to be that."
Details about extended cut, France's response to 'Napoleon'
Napoleon's theatrical cut is nearly two hours and 40 minutes long. It is distributed by Apple TV+ and Columbia Pictures, and an extended director's cut (four hours long) will be released on Apple TV+ post the theatrical run. While the drama has received mostly positive reviews from critics worldwide, it has failed to impress French critics, who have blasted it for "historical inaccuracies."
