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Rupert Sanders, the commercials director who made his directorial debut with Snow White and the Huntsman, has signed on to helm Napoleon, an epic biopic of the French military leader for Warner Bros.
Jeremy Doner (AMC’s The Killing) wrote the script, which is taking a Scarface-like look at its subject, Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte is one of history’s most outsized personalities, a genius who believed in himself almost too much, as he could inspire hundreds of thousands to do his military and political bidding.
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Bonaparte rose to power through a series of revolutions at the turn of the 19th century, riding the liberty wave of the French Revolution and becoming Emperor of France. Using brilliant strategy, he made France into a major world power, but his fortune turned after he invaded Russia. His defeat at the Battle of Waterloo is one of history’s most famous battles.
Gianni Nunnari, who produced the swords-and-sandals battle movie 300, which adapted Frank Miller’s comics, is producing Napoleon.
Niija Kuykendall is overseeing for the studio.
Sanders has set up several projects since Huntsman grossed $396.5 million worldwide, among them 90 Church, which reunites him with his Huntsman producer Joe Roth and Universal, and the film adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s thriller The Kill List.
He is repped by CAA and attorney Carlos Goodman.
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