Director Ridley Scott is back with another period action drama after previously releasing Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Exodus: Gods & Kings, and Robin Hood. 20th Century Studios has dropped the first trailer for The Last Duel, which is based on a historical event.
The cast consists of Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Harriet Walter, Marton Csokas, Ben Affleck, Nathaniel Parker, Sam Hazeldine, and Michael McElhatton.
THE LAST DUEL – In 14th century France, Norman knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) accuses squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) of raping his wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer). He takes the claim to King Charles VI, who declares that the two men must duel to the death. Based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager with a script written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Nicole Holofcener.
The Last Duel hits theaters exclusively on October 15.
The film 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, Josephine. The intention of the film is to capture Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.
The Ronin can now confirm that the period epic has added Oscar-winning costume designer Janty Yates, who previously worked with both Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix on Gladiator. Yates’ extensive credits include Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood, Exodus, Raised By Wolves, Prometheus, The Last Duel and the Lady Gaga-led crime film House of Gucci.
Phoenix is currently shooting Ari Aster’s Disappointment Blvd. in Montreal and is attached to co-star with Rooney Mara in director Lynne Ramsey’s Polaris.
There is an assumption that Scott’s longtime cinematographer Dariusz Wolski will be part of the film’s crew as well.
Speaking of Gladiator, the British filmmaker has been developing a direct sequel with The Town screenwriter Peter Craig and takes place 25-30 years after the events of the original movie that earned Russell Crowe a Best Actor Oscar statue. There is an expectation that Spencer Treat Clark’s (Animal Kingdom, Glass, Unbreakable) Lucius will be the focus of that project.
Deadline reports that Jodie Comer has been selected by director Ridley Scott for the role of Josephine in his upcoming Napoleon feature film Kitbag, starring Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix. Comer recently worked with Scott on his period drama The Last Duel, that sees Jodie co-starring with Matt Damon and Adam Driver.
However, the actress is only in early talks for the key role in the new film.
Filming is expected to begin in early 2022.
The film 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, Josephine. The intention of the film is to capture Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.
Ridley and Phoenix previously worked together on Gladiator.
Deadline reports that Ridley Scott has completed his period drama The Last Duel and will next move on to his Gucci crime film starring Lady Gaga, but has also lined up his project after that as well with a period epic titled Kitbag for 20th Century Studios.
The Napoleon project will star Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix as the French military leader and emperor, the pair previously worked together on the Oscar-winning film Gladiator.
The film 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, Josephine. The intention of the film is to capture Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary.
The script was penned by David Scarpa, who previously wrote on All The Money In The World, a version of the upcoming Cleopatra film, and episodes of The Man In The High Castle.
Despite the myth, the French leader was not short but of average height.
One of the most famous unmade Stanley Kubrick films was also going to focus on Napoleon and more recently had been planned as HBO mini-series from Cary Joji Fukunaga (No Time To Die, True Detective) using Kubrick’s research as inspiration with Steven Spielberg producing.
Ridley will begin filming Gucci for MGM in Italy starting in March and when Kitbag is aiming to start shooting is a little unclear. Joining that Gucci cast led by Lady Gaga includes Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Adam Driver and Jared Leto.
Oscar-nominee Adam Driver has been busy post-Star Wars as the actor has cozened up to director Ridley Scott joining both The Last Duel and his upcoming crime drama Gucci.
Deadline reports that Driver has nabbed a leading role in a mysterious science fiction thriller for Sony Pictures titled 65. The project will be written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the screenwriters of A Quiet Place.
Sam Raimi, who is about to direct Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness will be producing via Raimi Productions.
There isn’t much in the way of plot details but the title could suggest a setting of 1965 and possibly link to the Kecksburg UFO incident.
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