Ridley Scott Says ‘I Don’t Need Advice’ On Directing & Never Meddled With Alien: Romulus Despite Fede Alvarez’s Insistence

by

As a long-time fan and admirer of Ridley Scott’s extraordinary work, I find it fascinating to see the creative process unfold for Alien: Romulus. Despite handing over the director’s chair to Fede Alvarez, Scott has been deeply involved in the development stage, ensuring that the franchise’s legacy remains intact.

Ridley Scott, famous for directing movies like Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), has stepped away from directing duties on his upcoming project, Alien: Romulus. Instead, it’s being directed by Fede Alvarez, known for films such as Don’t Breathe and Evil Dead. Although Scott handed over the director role to Alvarez, he was heavily involved in the early stages of the film’s creation as a producer.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Scott revealed that Alvarez’s initial screenplay was long, and the two worked together to finesse it. “The danger of all franchises is they do die unless somebody suddenly decides to pick up the mat and run down the field with a ball,” he told the outlet. 

Apart from mentioning this, he explained that Fede was following a “plan” mentally, requiring them to give him control. He further clarified, “The script was extensive, as they usually are. We delved into that aspect a bit more,” he concluded.

When it comes to directing, the director of Gladiator II chooses not to offer or accept suggestions. Scott explains that for a creative individual, heavily invested in a project, advice might be the last thing they want to receive.

Despite Alvarez regularly updating Scott whenever a milestone was achieved, Scott firmly refused to intervene in his work or methodology. He stated, “I don’t require advice. If I end up wounded by my own actions, I would say, ‘It was my mistake,'” he added. However, Scott holds high regards for Alvarez and his “flashes of genius!”

Last year at the DGA Latino Summit, Alvarez stated that he went through a highly stressful procedure to deliver the final version of Alien: Romulus to Scott. He expressed his desire for Scott to view it prior to anyone else.

In a recent interview, the director of The Evil Dead acknowledged that many warned him about Scott being challenging to satisfy. He described Ridley as incredibly demanding, especially when it comes to his own films. Interestingly, the director found Blade Runner 2049, which Alvarez praised as exceptional, difficult for Ridley because it was his creation. As he put it, “It’s a challenge for him because it’s his art.”

When Alvarez unveiled the completed project to the renowned filmmaker, he braced himself for criticism that he had “ruined” his reputation, but instead, he enthusiastically declared, “Fede, I’m speechless! It’s outstanding,” as he later remembered.

Alien: Romulus will be released on August 16, 2024. 

Read More

2024-08-08 23:22