Ridley Scott explains why he's 'too dangerous' to make a 'Star Wars' movie
- Ridley Scott says he's "too dangerous" to make a "Star Wars" movie.
- The legendary director believes the recent "Star Wars" movies cost so much money because they are hiring filmmakers who don't know how to make a big budget movie.
Ridley Scott is behind some of the most memorable science-fiction movies of all time, like "Alien" and "Blade Runner." And some fans have been curious whether Scott would ever make a "Star Wars" movie in the new era.
The answer, according to Scott, is he's "too dangerous."
The 80-year-old filmmaker recently pulled off the tricky feat of successfully replacing Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in his latest movie, "All the Money in the World," following sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey. Scott did the reshoots in such a timely fashion that the movie still made its original Christmas release date.
In doing interviews on how he pulled it off, the director said that if you know what you're doing, most challenges on movies can be overcome quicker than outsiders think.
Scott has proven over his career that he can do the work with speed and talent that most in the business can't. While most Hollywood blockbusters take over 100 days of principal photography (plus reshoots), Scott's movies are often on or under budget, and his shoots are very quick (he did "Alien: Covenant" in just 73 days!).
"No, no. I'm too dangerous for that," Scott said.
When asked why, he said, "Because I know what I'm doing. I think they like to be in control, and I like to be in control myself." (Scott was referring to working with Lucasfilm and Disney.)
Scott said that preference for control is why Lucasfilm likes to recruit young directors from the indie film world to make the movies collaboratively. But, Scott said, that can backfire.
"When you get a guy who's done a low-budget movie and you suddenly give him $180 million, it makes no sense whatsoever. It's f---in' stupid," he said. "You know what the reshoots cost? Millions! Millions. You can get me for my fee, which is heavy, but I'll be under budget and on time. This is where experience does matter, it's as simple as that! It can make you dull as dishwater, but if you're really experienced and you know what you're doing, it's f---ing essential. Grow into it, little by little. Start low-budget, get a little bit bigger, maybe after $20 million, you can go to 80. But don't suddenly go to 160."
Lucasfilm/Disney has had to learn this the hard way.
Veteran director Tony Gilroy had to come in and take over reshoots of "Rogue One" from director Gareth Edwards; Colin Trevorrow walked away from directing "Star Wars: Episode IX" and was replaced with "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams; and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were fired from "Solo" and replaced by Ron Howard.
Out of this group, only Edwards had made a movie over $100 million previously (2014's "Godzilla," $160 million).