Pop Culture

Joaquin Phoenix Reuniting With ‘Gladiator’ Director Ridley Scott for Napoleon Biopic

Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott, of course, are known for their work together on the 2000 blockbuster drama 'Gladiator' starring Russell Crowe.

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Image via Getty/Steve Granitz/WireImage
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Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott are putting their proven collaborative power to good use once more with the just-announced Kitbag, a movie about French military leader Napoleon.

Phoenix, according to Deadline's report on Wednesday, will play Napoleon in the film that boasts another previous Scott collaborator—David Scarpa—on screenwriting duties. As for the story, the report says the current aim is to give viewers an "original and personal" look at Napoleon through his relationship with Josephine, his wife and arguable "true love" of sorts.

Though no official start dates have been announced, it's believed that Scott will kick off production on Kitbag immediately after wrapping Gucci, the Lady Gaga-featuring drama that’s currently set to shoot in in Italy in March. And on Wednesday, Scott wrapped work on The Last Duel with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

Most recently, Phoenix—though no one reading this should need any reminder—was seen in the Oscar-winning Joker. He's next set to be seen in the already-wrapped C'mon C'mon from writer and director Mike Mills, whose previous top-tier entries include 20th Century Women and Beginners.

Phoenix and Scott, of course, made quite the pairing when it came to the 2000 blockbuster Gladiator starring Russell Crowe. In that still-memed classic, Phoenix played the incestuously inclined Commodus, son to Marcus Aurelius.

Last month, it was reported that Joaquin Phoenix and partner Rooney Mara had named their first child together after the late River Phoenix, Joaquin's brother. Victor Kossakovsky, a director, ultimately spilled the beans during a festival appearance centered around the Phoenix-produced documentary Gunda.

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