Ridley Scott has opinions. He’s an anti-comic book movie guy, but in a way that makes Martin Scorsese and Steven Soderbergh seem diplomatic. If you offer him a backhanded compliment, he will repeatedly hurl expletives in your face, before politely telling you to keep talking. And while he’s a fan of Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning work in Joker, of the film itself he has mixed feelings.
In a new interview with Deadline (in a bit weeded out by IndieWire), the acclaimed filmmaker talks about Phoenix, his Gladiator baddie with whom he’s reunited for Napoleon. In the past Scott has spoken about how Phoenix is the “best player of damaged goods” in the business. Well, who’s more damaged goods than Arthur Fleck? (Other than perhaps Napoleon Bonaparte, of course.)
“I was blown away by his outrageous film Joker,” Scott said. Sounds like a rave! Or was it? “I didn’t like the way it celebrated violence but Joaquin was remarkable.”
Phoenix’s work in Joker is one reason Scott believed he’d be “an amazing asset to Napoleon,” both in a creative and commercial sense. He added, “There were only two actors I had in mind for the role. I won’t mention the other one.”
Napoleon hits theaters on November 22, and if you enjoy it then you’ll be stoked to learn Scott has an even longer cut he thinks is “fantastic.”