Ridley Scott’s ‘Kitbag’ Retitled ‘Napoleon’, Explains Why He Exited Disney’s ‘The Merlin Saga’

If I asked you what a “kitbag” was, you might think it was some derogatory for someone. It’s not. It’s literally a kit bag used by soldiers. But the word makes for a pretty confusing movie title, especially for one that is about Napoleon Bonaparte. Why not just call it Napoleon? Well, that’s exactly what Ridley Scott is doing.

Scott’s Napoleon Bonaparte film will no longer be titled Kitbag, and is now simply Napoleon. Boring? Yes, but if you’re trying to sell something it pays to be easily understandable. The film will reunite Scott with Gladiator star Joaquin Phoenix, along with Vanessa Kirby who just recently replaced The Last Duel‘s Jodie Comer.

Napoleon will begin shooting soon and should arrive in 2023.

Meanwhile, you may recall that Scott had been planning to teamup with Disney and Lord of the Rings writer Phillippa Boyens to adapt the popular Merlin Saga novels by T.A. Barron. Well, that shit ain’t happening, as Scott explains bluntly to THR

“They wanted me to do a wizard film, and I don’t do wizard films. It wasn’t a good idea.”

Alrighty then. Surely, Disney will find someone else to take on the project because it’s a potential big money earner.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.