Vanessa Kirby to Replace Jodie Comer in Ridley Scott’s ‘Kitbag’ With Joaquin Phoenix

Vanessa Kirby is in talks to star in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon epic “Kitbag,” replacing Jodie Comer in the role, who had to exit due to scheduling conflicts, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

The “Pieces of a Woman” actress Kirby will star as Josephine to Joaquin Phoenix’s Napoleon Bonaparte in a film that focuses on Napoleon’s origins, his rise to becoming emperor and his volatile relationship with Josephine. Ridley Scott is directing, and David Scarpa wrote the screenplay. The film is set at Apple and is meant to begin filming in Europe later this month.

Comer broke the news of her exit on THR’s “Awards Chatter” podcast, explaining that she had a “rubbish” scheduling conflict because of schedules moved around due to COVID and didn’t feel she “can make ‘Kitbag’ work right now.” Comer is also set to begin rehearsals for a West End stage production called “Prima Facie” in March that will have limited engagements between April and June.

Comer is also currently on the awards circuit for “The Last Duel,” which Ridley Scott also directed, and the fourth season of her series “Killing Eve” drops in February.

Vanessa Kirby was Oscar nominated for her work in the Netflix drama “Pieces of a Woman” from 2020 and also last appeared in the film “The World to Come” opposite Katherine Waterston and last year’s “Italian Studies.” She’ll next reprise her role as the White Widow in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise’s seventh and eighth films. She’s also well known for her work as Princess Margaret on “The Crown.”

Deadline first reported the news.