Few filmmakers have as distinguished a resume asRidley Scott, who has helmed some of the most memorable sci-fi and period films of all time. He’s the visionary creator behind theAlienfranchise, which has altered the history of science fiction, and he even directed some of the most notable hits ever, such asBlade RunnerandGladiator. Scott has teamed up with a large catalog of stars over the years for projects in many genres, but there are a few things he hasn’t had the chance to tackle… yet. Collider’sSteve Weintraubrecently caught up with Scott to chat about the new 4K release of his incredible 2005 historical epic,Kingdom of Heaven, and he asked if there was one thing he was still dying to make after all these years of directing movies:
“If they’re good enough, and you know it’s not the moment because everyone’s afraid of it, you keep it sitting, waiting, and then come back. So,I have a Western, which is the best Western I’ve ever read. It was on a shelf of an author who had died. It’s from his estate. We tracked it. I bought the script, so I own it, and the moment will come to make it. So, I still have to do a musical. I still have to do a pirate movie. I still have to do a Western.”
When asked if he could reveal the title, Scott declined“because someone will jump in.”Nothing smarter than playing those cards close to the vest. Westerns have always been immensely popular — filmmakers likeClint Eastwoodmade entire careers out of old-fashioned gun-slinging cowboys — and in the last few years, they’ve earned an even larger spot in the zeitgeist. The recent releases of contemporary Western shows likeYellowstoneandLandman, both of which hail from creatorTaylor Sheridan, have brought Westerns back to the forefront of pop culture.Landmanbroke recordsas Paramount’s biggest new series ever, and theYellowstoneseries finale drew more than 10 million viewers. Whether Scott’s Western falls more in the classic side or more in the contemporary aisle, with his personal touch and confidence in the script, there’s little doubt the film will be a major success.
What Has Ridley Scott Directed Lately?
Ridley Scott most recently directed an episode ofDope Thief, the Apple TV+ series led byBrian Tyree HenryandWagner Moura. However, before that, he helmed one of the most ambitious projects of his career,Gladiator II. The legacy sequel to his Oscar-winning war epic reportedly cost around $250 to make, and it narrowly missed out on doubling its budget at the box office with a $460 million worldwide gross. Scott also directedJoaquin Phoenixin the historical epic,Napoleon, which came two years after he teamed up withAdam Drivertwice in the same year forThe Last DuelandHouse of Gucci.
Details about Ridley Scott’s mysterious western are unavailable at this time. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the project and coverage on all of Scott’s endeavors and look for our full interview soon.
Kingdom of Heaven
