'Napoleon' cast, release date: What to know about Ridley Scott epic starring Joaquin Phoenix

This story may contain spoilers for "Napoleon."

The controversial life of one of the world's most infamous military leaders will unfold on the big screen when Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" hits theaters next week.

Scott, the 85-year-old renowned director, is no stranger to the historical epic and has reportedly long wanted to make a film about Napoleon Bonaparte's rise and fall from power.  Financed and produced by Apple Studios, the film will see Scott reunited with Joaquin Phoenix after the pair last collaborated on the 2000 Oscar-winning film "Gladiator."

Here's everything you need to know about "Napoleon," including the cast, its release date and what the critics are saying.

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Release date

"Napoleon" will hit theaters Nov. 22 in time for Thanksgiving weekend.

The film, which clocks in at two hours and 38 minutes, will also be available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+ at a later date.

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix stars alongside Vanessa Kirby

Phoenix, 49, stars as the infamous French military commander alongside Vanessa Kirby, 35, who portrays Napoleon's wife Joséphine.

The film's large supporting cast includes Tahar Rahim as a French politician; Ben Miles as a French diplomat and Bonaparte's adviser; and Ludivine Sagnier as a socialite.

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See the most recent trailer for 'Napoleon'

Sony Pictures gave moviegoers the first glimpse of "Napoleon" in July with the release of the first trailer.

Scored to a haunting cover of Radiohead's "The National Anthem," the trailer showcased sweeping battle scenes, as well as Bonaparte's volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.

A second trailer released on Oct. 18 reveals more of Phoenix's wickedly cunning portrayal of Bonaparte. This time scored to a remix of another rock song (Black Sabbath's "War Pigs,") the trailer shows flashes of Bonaparte's meteoric rise from the ranks of a simple French soldier as he claims France's throne for himself.

"Whose country are we in?" Phoenix asks rhetorically in the trailer. "Mine."

See the trailer here:

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte?

Born in 1769, Bonaparte rose through the military ranks by leading successful military campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars.

A successful coup d’état in 1799 led Bonaparte to seize political power for himself before he crowned himself emperor in 1804. But after years of expanding his empire, his fall from grace was swift when Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba.

When he returned to power in 1815, it was only to experience another crushing defeat at the famous Battle of Waterloo. Exiled by the British to the remote island of Saint Helena in the Atlantic, Bonaparte died in 1821 at the age of 51.

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What is the movie about?

With a script from David Scarpa, the movie will tell the story of Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to power amid the fall of the French monarchy and the birth of the French revolution.

As Bonaparte's military conquests pave the way for his rise to power, the film also depicts his relationship with Empress Joséphine.

What are the critics saying?

Reviews of "Napoleon" have so farm been mostly positive, though some critics were mixed about what they said was a visually stunning, if flawed, film.

With 33 reviews, the film holds a 76% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics largely praised the powerful performances and action sequences, but were left questioning the film's lengthy runtime. In a mostly positive review for Vanity Fair, Richard Lawson called "Napoleon"  "a wry survey of dangerous male ego."

David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter was less impressed. Though he praised the performance of Phoenix and Kirby, Rooney said the overall scope was "too sprawling to remain compelling, particularly when its focus veers away from the central couple."

In a positive review for the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw said Scot created "an outrageously enjoyable cavalry charge of a movie."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joaquin Phoenix stars as 'Napoleon:' What to know about Ridley Scott epic