It looks like Jodie Comer will not be a part of Ridley Scott’s upcoming directorial venture. The Last Duel actress had to walk away from Scott’s forthcoming film Kitbag, an epic drama centered around the French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte.
Comer shared this news on the ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast, hosted by Scott Feinberg. “Unfortunately, due to COVID and changes of schedule, I don’t think I can make Kitbag work right now due to a scheduling conflict,” the actress said. She is not happy about it either.
Comer was set to play the French Empress, Josephine, in Kitbag. As of now, Vanessa Kirby, the British stage, TV, and film actress best known for her performance in The Crown and Pieces of a Woman (which has earned her an Oscar nomination) will be starred opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Scott’s upcoming film. The film was set to commence shooting in Europe later this month. With a relatively quick replacement with Kirby, it seems filming will continue according to the set schedule.
Kitbag focuses on the relationship between Napolean Bonaparte (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his wife, Josephine, in the backdrop of his military exploits. It shows Bonaparte’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor from the eyes of Josephine. Scott’s All the Money in the World collaborator David Scarpa has written the script, and Scott is producing the film with Kevin Walsh for Scott Free. The entire project is under the banner of Apple.
Given Jodi Comer’s Performance in The Last Duel, Fans are Sure to Miss Her in Kitbag
Comer had previously worked with Ridley Scott in The Last Duel, a drama set in medieval France. She starred along with major names like Adam Driver and Matt Damon, in a rather poetic film ending in trial by combat. She played Marguerite de Carrouges, who accuses her husband Sir Jean de Carrouges’ (Matt Damon) friend, knight Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), of rape. As a result, Sir Carrouges and Le Gris engage in a duel to establish justice.
Although Comer will not be a part of Kitbag, she has a packed schedule ahead of her. She is set to star in a West End production of Suzie Miller’s play Prima Facie, which revolves around a character named Tessa, who is a brilliant young barrister who has worked her way up from working-class origins to be at the top of her game. The show will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London on April 15. Apart from this, she is also set to star in the fourth (and possibly last) season of the AMC series Killing Eve.