Ridley Scott rewrote ‘Napoleon’ script for Joaquin Phoenix, ‘it all grew bigger, better’

Ridley Scott revealed that he had to ‘rewrite’ the entire script of his new movie, Napoleon, after lead actor Joaquin Phoenix raised a few questions.

In an interview with Empire, the House of Gucci director revealed that Joaquin’s stellar performance reshaped the entire film.

“Phoenix is about as far from conventional as you can get. Not deliberately, but out of intuition. That’s what makes him tick. If something bothers him, he’ll let you know,” Scott said. “He made [‘Napoleon’] special by constantly questioning.”

Scott and Phoenix - previously worked together on 2000s Gladiator – have come on board for the upcoming film, based on Napoleon Bonaparte’s lifea.

Scott further shared that the team also significantly changed the movie based off of feedback from the Joker actor.

“With Phoenix, we can rewrite the goddamn film because he’s uncomfortable. And that kind of happened with Napoleon,” he continued. “We unpicked the film to help him focus on who Bonaparte was. I had to respect that, because what was being said was incredibly constructive. It made it all grow bigger and better.”

Teasing a bit of the actor’s interpretation of the historical figure, the director wanted viewers to be prepared for another stunning performance from the Oscar winner.

“With Napoleon, I think we dug in and found the character, or as close to what he may have been. Joaquin is probably the most special, thoughtful actor I’ve ever worked with,” he added.

Phoenix starrer Napoleon is a war drama focusing on the French historical figure Napoleon Bonaparte, including his rise to power and personal life.

Napoleon is expected to release in 2023.