Ridley Scott’s historical epic Napoleon becomes the widest release ever in the UK and Ireland for Sony, starting in 716 cinemas this weekend.
The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the early 19th century French leader, tops the 690-location opening of Whitney Houston biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody from December 2022.
Written by David Scarpa – who previously collaborated with Scott on All The Money In The World – Napoleon tells the story of Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power, and his relationship with Empress Josephine, played in the film by 2011 Screen Star of Tomorrow Vanessa Kirby.
Given his prominence in European history, depictions of the military commander on film are relatively rare – partly due to the scope and variety of the protagonist’s life. A silent film Napoleon about his early years was made in 1927, and ran to a reported 330 minutes; while Sacha Guitry directed a 1955 version in which the lead was played by Daniel Gelin as a young man, and Raymond Pellegrin at an older age.
Napoleon is a remarkable 28th feature film for Scott, who was in production on Gladiator 2 prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike this year. The Newcastle-born filmmaker shows no signs of slowing down, having made eight features in the last 10 years.
His highest-grossing film in the UK and Ireland is Gladiator with £31.3m – the eighth-highest-grossing title of all time at the point of its release in May 2000. He has been a reliable box office draw across his career, with other hits including 2012’s Prometheus (£25m), 2015’s The Martian (£23.7m) and 2001’s Hannibal (£21.6m).
For a younger audience, Disney is starting Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn’s Wish in 618 cinemas. The original story focuses on a 17-year-old girl who makes a passionate plea to the stars when sensing a darkness in the kingdom where she lives. Ariana DeBose, an Oscar winner in 2022 for West Side Story, voices the lead role, with Chris Pine and Alan Tudyk also on the voice cast.
It unites Disney veteran Buck, who has worked for the studio since the early 1980s and co-directed features including Frozen (£43.2m) and Frozen II (£53.8m); with first-time feature director Veerasunthorn, a Thai filmmaker who was a story artist on animations including Frozen and Zootopia, and head of story on 2021’s Raya And The Last Dragon.
Disney has already scored one animated hit this year with Elemental, which rose to an impressive £18.4m after a £2.9m opening.
Independent titles
BFI Distribution is starting The Eternal Daughter, the sixth feature film from UK director Joana Hogg, in 45 sites. The film, which stars Hogg’s school classmate Tilda Swinton as an artist returning to a hotel haunted by its mysterious past, debuted in Competition at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, and is part of a changing focus towards contemporary, audience-facing fare from BFI Distribution.
Studio Soho Distribution has Sundance 2023 title Girl in 10 cinemas at the weekend, with 17 booked across its first week. The debut feature of Screen Star of Tomorrow 2021 Adura Onashile, Girl depicts a mother and daughter confined to their Glasgow apartment, whose relationship changes as the daughter experiences the outside world. It is produced by Ciara Barry and Rosie Crerar of Scotland’s barry crerar, with the duo named Rising Stars Scotland last year. Casting director Isabella Odoffin (2019) and cinematographer Tasha Back (2023) have also been selected as Screen Stars.
Having got the ball rolling with an event cinema release on Tuesday, November 21, MetFilm is continuing Sam Blair’s Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge Of Everything, a documentary about the sublimely-talented and occasionally controversial snooker star.
Titles not in the English language this weekend include Amat Escalante’s Cannes 2023 thriller Lost In The Night, through Sovereign Films; Hong Kong drama Time Still Turns The Pages through Trinity Film; and Indian family comedy Khichdi 2 through Zee Studios.
Festive titles continue to roll out with Christmas approaching, including popular back catalogue releases. Universal is putting Richard Curtis’ beloved romantic comedy Love Actually in 432 sites across the coming week for its 20th anniversary, after the film took a sizeable £36.8m on its 2003 release. Park Circus is starting 1985 animation Santa Claus: The Movie in 93 sites across this week, with a further 167 bookings throughout December as of now.
Modern Films is starting a rollout for Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn’s deepfake documentary Another Body in three sites this weekend, with further runs scheduled for the weeks ahead. The film is up for two Bifas at next month’s ceremony – best feature documentary, and best debut director – documentary.
Netflix, which does not share location numbers, is opening Bradley Cooper’s Venice 2023 Competition entry Maestro, starring Cooper as composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein and Carey Mulligan as his wife Felicia Montealegre.
In event cinema, Trafalgar Releasing is playing Cliff Richard: The Blue Sapphire Tour in 419 cinemas on Saturday, November 25.
Key holdovers include Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes which started out strongly last weekend; plus Disney’s The Marvels, which will look to find its audience after a tricky start; and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn through Warner Bros.
No comments yet