The First Emperor (2006): cast, story & where to watch
2006 · Film · ★ 6.3
Released in 2006, The First Emperor is a drama and documentary film directed by Nic Young, running about 110 minutes.
What it’s about. Docu-drama profiling Ying Sheng, the first Emperor of China. Charting the life of the man who unified China, this documentary begins with the future Emperor's rise to power after the death of his father, becoming King of Qin at the age of thirteen. Mostly told through the use of re-enactments, the story continues to the present day and the discovery of the Emperor's tomb and terracotta army in 1974.
Who’s in it. The First Emperor stars James Pax as Emperor, Richard Ng as Chief Minister, Samuel West as Himself - Narrator and Hi Ching as Li Ssu.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, The First Emperor has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In AU you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The First Emperor page.
If you liked it. Fans of The First Emperor tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The First Emperor (2006)?
- In AU, The First Emperor is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The First Emperor worth watching?
- The First Emperor holds an audience score of 6.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and documentary. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The First Emperor?
- The First Emperor stars James Pax, Richard Ng, Samuel West and Hi Ching.
- When was The First Emperor released?
- The First Emperor was released in 2006, with a runtime of about 110 minutes.