Did Napoleon fire a cannon at the Egyptian pyramids like in the trailer?
In Ridley Scott’s film, Joaquin Phoenix orders the attack on one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
This Monday, the very first images of the Napoleon of Ridley Scott have been unveiled. In this sensational trailer punctuated by battle scenes, we see Joaquin Phoenix at the head of numerous offensives. In particular, the video shows him in the middle of the desert, in front of the Sphinx of Giza, and facing the ancient pyramids of Egypt. Moreover, the actor of Joker gives the order to send cannonballs on the colossi of stone.
As we know, Napoleon fought many battles and destroyed many landscapes with cannon shots until his fall in 1815. But did the emperor really attack one of the seven wonders of the world?
What we are sure of is that Napoleon brought his army to Egypt in 1798. He was not yet emperor at that time, but general of the French army. After crossing the desert, he led the Battle of the Pyramids (or Battle of Embabeh) there, 15 km from the Great Pyramid of Giza, on July 21, 1798. Faced with the French, the Mamluks defended themselves, a caste of warriors descending of slaves. Three days later, France occupied Cairo.
Nevertheless, no cannonball has ever hit the pyramids, according to RTBF and Distractify. And if Napoleon had ordered this assault as shown in the trailer, the pyramids would have kept traces of it. It would therefore seem that Ridley Scott has allowed himself some creative liberties. Care must be taken when viewing Napoleonnot to take everything at face value.
The film will be released in cinemas on November 22, 2023. In the cast, we will also find Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ludivine Sagnier (swimming pool), Edouard Philipponnat (The Runner) and Matthew Needham (house of the dragon).
