How To Watch Napoleon

There are multiple ways to watch Napoleon depending on when and how viewers want to watch Ridley Scott’s movie. The accomplished director returns with a major historical epic starring Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte. The movie was announced on the heels of him completing another historical film, The Last Duel, which ultimately proved to be a major box office flop. Since Ridley Scott has a history of delivering some successful movies, Napoleon was still able to receive a major commitment from Apple Studios, which allowed the film to be made on a grand scale with a pricey $200 million budget.

The general success of Ridley Scott’s movies and hopeful awards consideration for Napoleon put Apple in a position to make sure the film would qualify for the Oscars. This means giving it at least a limited theatrical run. But, since Napoleon comes from Apple Studios, it will also only be a matter of time before it begins streaming on Apple TV+. Since Ridley Scott has never made a movie directly for a streaming service, Apple’s involvement could seemingly change the options when it comes to how to watch Napoleon. The good news is that viewers have the chance to see it in theaters and at home, depending on the time.

Napoleon Releases In Theaters On November 22, 2023

The earliest chance to see Napoleon is through the movie’s theatrical release. Apple Studios and Sony Pictures collaborated to bring Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix’s movie to theaters with a November 22, 2023, release date. Despite Ridley Scott originally having a four-and-a-half-hour cut of the movie, the cut of Napoleon playing in theaters is just over two-and-a-half hours long. This decision was made to make the film more digestible for audiences who elect to go to a movie theater to see it. The opportunity to see Napoleon on the big screen does not include upgrades like IMAX showings.

Napoleon Will Likely Release On Apple TV+ In 2024

Audiences will have an opportunity to watch Napoleon on streaming when it releases on Apple TV+. The studio has not officially announced a release date yet, but it is not expected to come until 2024. Napoleon‘s release on Apple TV+ comes as only the second example of Apple releasing a movie exclusively in theaters before putting it on streaming, with Killers of the Flower Moon being the first. Considering Napoleon is releasing in theaters in the heat of awards season, an early 2024 release on Apple TV+ will give voters another option to see the movie before the 2024 Oscars nominations are announced.

Napoleon Could Release On Digital In 2024

Apple could give audiences an earlier chance to watch Napoleon at home through a digital release. No such plans have been confirmed at this point, but it would be an opportunity for Apple Studios to make more money off the film by offering people a chance to buy or rent the movie digitally. The late November theatrical release makes a 2023 digital release less likely, so January 2024 could be the earliest opportunity for Napoleon to be released in this format if it is at all.