[imagesource:clicknews/goff/splashnews.com]

Napoleon Bonaparte was not actually short.

Most contemporary sources put him at about five-foot-six, typical of the average 19th-century Frenchman. His diminutive reputation came from an English newspaper cartoonist in an attempt to discredit him at the dawn of the Napoleonic Wars, noted Slate.

Joaquin Phoenix’s five-foot-eight height fits neatly into a historically authentic Bonapartian silhouette, then, which is surely why Ridley Scott tapped him to play the leading man in his forthcoming historical Napoleon.

The director and actor have worked together before in Gladiator, so it makes sense, too, that they are reuniting to conquer one more historical military epic.

Apple and Sony have released the first trailer for Napoleon, directed by Scott and starring Phoenix as the iconic French commander, per Variety:

According to the film’s official logline: “‘Napoleon’ is an original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Joséphine. The film captures Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.”

Watch Joaquin’s Napoleon charging down and chopping his way through enemies while charming various women and coming out with quippy lines like, “I’m the first to admit when I make a mistake. I simply never do”:

Napoleon also stars Vanessa Kirby as Empress Josephine, Theresa Cabarrus as Ludivine Sagnier, and Catherine Walker as Marie Antoinette.

The Apple production is set to premiere exclusively in theatres on November 22, arriving to stream on Apple TV+ at a later date.

[source:variety]