The new trailer for the epic film, Napoleon, has been viewed 17 million times in just two weeks, thanks to the classic Black Sabbath song, "War Pigs".
Napoleon, hitting the big screen on Wednesday, November 22, has been directed by legendary British filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott, who turns 86 on November 30. Just three days later, on December 3, Ozzy Osbourne celebrates his 75th birthday.
Jim Simpson, Black Sabbath’s original manager, says that fusing the pair’s talents together on the trailer seems to have been a masterstroke.
He explained that the original teaser, released in July, has had 2.2 million views on Sony Pictures’ YouTube channel. But its October 18 version featuring Ozzy has already had eight times as many viewings - more than 17.5 million at the time of creating this story.
Jim, himself now in his 80s and yet still operating Big Bear Music from offices on Broad Street, Birmingham, said: “The Napoleon trailer is fabulous, showcasing the visual talents of Ridley Scott with the unmistakable sound of Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals and Black Sabbath’s timeless music.
“That 17 million have already watched this second trailer in just two weeks is proof of how the first two Sabbath albums I managed the releases of in 1970 will live forever.”
Shot in England and Malta, Napoleon (15, 157 mins) stars Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix (The Joker) as Napoleon, alongside Mission: Impossible star Vanessa Kirby as Josephine. A four-and-a-half hour director’s cut for Apple TV+ is expected to follow its cinema release.
Meanwhile, Black Sabbath was originally four working class guys from Aston, and the band members were immortalized on Broad Street, Birmingham in June 2019 when guitarist Tony Iommi and bass player Geezer Butler unveiled the Black Sabbath Bench, on the renamed Black Sabbath Bridge.
"War Pigs" is the opening track on the second album Paranoid, the band’s first #1 that was released in September 1970, just six months after the original Black Sabbath LP.
Jim, who also runs the longstanding Henry’s Blueshouse at The O Bar, opposite the Black Sabbath Bench, added: “The ultimate proof of Sabbath’s enduring appeal is that they still have an army of fans all around the world across many different age groups and cultures.
“In the trailer for a film set more than 200 years ago, you can hear a crystal-clear Ozzy singing Geezer’s lyrics in the anti-war song 'War Pigs': ’Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses…’ and it sounds absolutely perfect.
“Like Beethoven, Mozart and all of the other great composers, you can imagine Sabbath’s made-in-Birmingham music will still be played and appreciated in 200 or more years’ in the future, too.”
(Jim Simpson photo by Graham Young; Black Sabbath photo by Jim Simpson)
