Ridley Scott’s $200 Million Historical Misfire Redeems Itself on Global Streaming Charts

Ridley Scott’s $200 Million Historical Misfire Redeems Itself on Global Streaming Charts Ridley Scott is looking grim at a red carpet event.Image via Jennifer Bloc/Future Image/Cover Images   By  Adam Blevins Published 36 minutes ago Adam Blevins began working in the entertainment industry in 2022 as a Staff Writer for Agents of Fandom, where he progressed to Senior Editor and interviewed talent from Marvel Studios, House of the Dragon, and Planet of the Apes. He joined Collider as a News Author in April 2024, was promoted to a Senior position in December 2024, and has written over 3,000 articles for the site, including exclusives relating to Avengers: Doomsday, The Penguin, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and more. He primarily writes about the latest box office numbers and the hottest movies and TV shows on streaming, while also covering superhero and sci-fi news. He has completed a set visit for The Chosen and even has several months of experience writing Gaming Features at ScreenRant. You can find him on X, LinkedIn, and Muckrack. Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix famously teamed up for the 2000 Oscar-winning epic, Gladiator, but just a few years ago, they reunited for a historical flop that’s found a second life on streaming. Phoenix stars alongside Vanessa Kirby (The Fantastic Four: First Steps) and Abubakar Salim (House of the Dragon) in Napoleon, the 2023 historical epic following the rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon is streaming exclusively on Apple TV, where it’s been since it wrapped up a disappointing theatrical run, and two years later, the film has crept back into the global top 10.

Napoleon has been one of Ridley Scott’s most controversial and divisive movies from its first screening. The film earned rotten scores of 58% from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s been heavily criticized for historical inaccuracies and inconsistencies. Scott even hit back at these criticisms while promoting the movie, which didn’t bode well for persuading more people to go see it. Napoleon also struggled under the weight of its $200 million budget. It grossed around $222 million, but this was nowhere near its colossal break-even point. The film is estimated to have lost around $100 million.

Ridley Scott has only directed one movie in the two years since the release of Napoleon. Last year, he returned to the world of Gladiator for the legacy sequel, Gladiator II. He did so without Russell Crowe or Joaquin Phoenix, instead casting other stars like Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington. Scott’s next movie, The Dog Stars, is currently in post-production and expected to be released on March 27, 2026. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller stars Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley.

What’s the Best Movie To Watch on Apple TV Right Now?

The most popular movie on Apple TV at the time of writing is The Family Plan, the Mark Wahlberg-led action comedy that first debuted two years ago. Its return to the top of streaming charts isn’t a mere coincidence, though. Its sequel, The Family Plan 2, will begin streaming on Apple TV this Friday, which has driven the original to the top of the charts. Other movies such as The Lost Bus (Matthew McConaughey) and Highest 2 Lowest (Denzel Washington) are also popular on Apple TV right now, along with The Gorge (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Fountain of Youth (John Krasinski).

Be sure to watch Napoleon on Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

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Napoleon

Like Follow Followed R Biopic Drama Release Date November 22, 2023 Runtime 158 Minutes Director Ridley Scott Writers David Scarpa

Cast

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• Joaquin Phoenix
• Vanessa Kirby

Genres Biopic, Drama Powered by Expand Collapse

• Movie News
• Napoleon
• Ridley Scott

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