Ridley Scott Recalls Turning Down Big Disney Project: ‘I Don’t Do Wizard Films’

Ridley Scott has dabbled in many genres throughout his nearly five-decade directing career, from period pieces to science fiction. But while the British filmmaker is constantly expanding his horizons, there is one genre that moviegoers shouldn’t expect him to try any time soon.

In a new profile in The Hollywood Reporter, Scott recalls a meeting with Disney after the entertainment giant acquired Fox. Scott had a long history of collaborating with Fox, but Disney wanted to take their partnership in a different direction. And the Oscar winner was not interested. Scott directed some of the most iconic science fiction films of all time, but apparently, fantasy was a bridge too far for the 84-year-old filmmaker.

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“They wanted me to do a wizard film,” Scott said. “And I don’t do wizard films. It wasn’t a good idea.”

Ridley Scott is never afraid to bluntly speak his mind, recently telling a journalist to “go fuck yourself” at a recent press junket. He has plenty of thoughts on the current state of the film industry, and “wizard films” are far from the only genre he has criticized. The director attracted controversy in late 2021 when he said superhero movies are “boring” because their “scripts are not any fucking good.”

His latest comments are unsurprising, as Scott continues to be a strong advocate for studios making movies aimed at adult audiences. He has expressed frustration that his historical epic “The Last Duel” struggled at the box office, and recently remarked that the dominance of comic book franchises is a sign that “we’re losing cinema.”

Scott said that while he is open to working in a variety of genres, he has high standards for the projects he takes. “The older I get, the more I look for things which are about something, aren’t just entertainment,” he said. “It must have an effect on somebody.” The prolific director is known for his productivity, and does not appear to be slowing down in the slightest. For the time being, he continues to focus on period pieces. He is currently gearing up to direct the Napoleon Bonaparte biopic “Kitbag,” followed immediately by a sequel to “Gladiator.”

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