Joaquin Phoenix in Malta next week for Ridley Scott’s Napoleon epic

Hollywood stars Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby will be in Malta next week where they will star in Ridley Scott’s epic on the French emporer and military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ will star Phoenix and Kirby as, respectively, Napoleon and his wife Josephine.

The film, an Apple Studios production, will be shot in locations in Attard, Senglea, Mellieha, Siggiewi, Mdina, Valletta, Fort Ricasoli as well as the Malta Film Studios. 

Ridley Scott is returning to Malta for the third time, after shooting White Squall in 1996 and Gladiator in 2000.

Napoleon’ is the fifth production in Malta this year, with other productions from the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden and Malta.

A Napoleon war feature film has been the dream of many filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, who famously failed to make it happen. Ridley Scott is keen to take over the baton.

“Napoleon is a man I’ve always been fascinated by. 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.”

The film will take a personal look at the origins of this history giant and his climb to power, through the view of his love, Josephine. It will be also portraying Napoleon’s most famous battle, as well as his relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind.