Napoleon: The Director’s Cut Release - Where to Watch

Napoleon: The Director’s Cut is now out on Apple TV+, adding 48 minutes of additional footage to director Ridley Scott’s historical epic.

“I’m thrilled to announce Napoleon: The Director’s Cut is now exclusively on Apple TV+,” says Scott in a post by the official Apple TV Twitter account, embed below, “complete with newly added scenes that expand the scope of this epic production.”

The longer runtime now includes more fighting from the Battle of Marengo, and gives Vanessa Kirby's Josephine more screentime. It also adds entirely new sequences not shown in the original cut, including a gripping sequence during the Russian invasion and a thrilling assassination attempt.

Is it enough to improve the film, though? Releasing November 22, 2023 in cinemas, reviewers criticized its lengthy and uneven runtime, giving it a cumulative 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Adding on an extra 48 minutes only exacerbates the problem.

Also, Brian Cox says Joaquin Phoenix was “terrible” in Napoleon .

In Scott’s defense, this is far from the first time he’s attempted to revitalize a film. The acclaimed director’s 1992 cut of 1982 sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner is now widely considered the definitive version. That’s only three minutes longer than the original, however, at 116 minutes.

Napoleon: The Director’s Cut is 3h 24m, handily beating the first cut’s already wearying 2h 38m length. Although that’s nothing compared to director Abel Gance’s 1927 film based on the famous French figure, which lasts 5h 30m.

Decide for yourself whether it’s worth the time investment on Apple TV+ now.