Ridley Scott shares huge regret about the ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner’ sequels: “I wasn’t happy”
Ridley Scott has revealed one of his biggest regrets regarding the popular Alien franchise, stating that he “should have” directed the first sequels. However, he wasn’t aware that they were in development at the time, and he wasn’t “told or asked” about potential involvement.
During a recent interview, the director told Vanity Fair that he was never directly asked to be involved in the Alien or Blade Runner sequels, likely due to his burgeoning popularity as an independent filmmaker. However, this didn’t mean he wasn’t interested.
“I was slow out the starting gate. I mean, I should have done the sequels to Alien and to Blade Runner,” Scott explained. “You change over the years. At that time, I didn’t want to go through it again. So Jim Cameron came in—and then David Fincher—on Alien.”
Scott planned to direct the sequel to Blade Runner years later but instead opted for a project within the Alien universe, Prometheus, leaving the Blade Runner follow-up to Denis Villeneuve. “I was regretful, although he did a good job,” Scott admitted.
Although he would have enjoyed being involved in the Alien and Blade Runner sequels, Scott also explained that he wouldn’t have had the power to request this so early on in his career.
“I’m the author of two franchises. Most directors in Hollywood—certainly, let’s say, at my level—don’t let that stuff go,” he said. “But I did Alien as my second movie, so I didn’t have much choice. And Blade Runner was my third movie. So, I had no choice because I had very tough partners. It was kind of ‘Welcome to Hollywood.’”
Sharing how he felt about his exclusion, he added: “I was never told or asked. You can imagine I wasn’t happy.”
Last year, Scott told Empire that he regretted letting Villeneuve direct the sequel, sharing that he would have liked to have directed it himself. “I shouldn’t have had to make that decision. But I had to. I should have done Blade Runner 2,” he said.
One sequel he is helming is the forthcoming Gladiator II, a follow-up to the 2000 movie. Although there is no sign of the return of original cast members Russell Crowe or Joaquin Phoenix, the sequel boasts an impressive lineup, including Connie Nielsen reprising her role as Lucilla, alongside new characters played by Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Derek Jacobi.
The movie is scheduled to be released in the UK on November 15th, 2024, and later in the US and Canada on November 22nd, 2024.
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