Ridley Scott has said he sees himself as "not a film-maker but an influencer," a description he attributes to his long-standing willingness to take creative risks and stay ahead of industry trends.
Speaking to The Sunday Times Culture magazine, the acclaimed director explained: "I never want to repeat myself and all my films have been on the money. I've been ahead of the game frequently and, if you're ahead of the game, you're an influencer. So, I'm not a film-maker, I'm an influencer."
The 88-year-old, whose directing credits include Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and The Martian, is one of the highest-grossing directors of all time. He has won two Golden Globes and two Emmys, and has been nominated for four Oscars, eight Baftas and a Grammy.
Despite his extensive filmography, Scott made clear in the interview that he does not see himself as a conventional film-maker. Having already released five films this decade, he also shared ideas for upcoming projects, including a first foray into a genre he has never tackled: a western.
"I've never done a western. I have cast Hugh Jackman for my Treasure Island adaptation. I want to do a musical and, also, have a marvellous film about the African elephant," he said.
Criticism of current movie trends
Scott also offered a blunt take on the types of films dominating recent releases. "Look, everything now is about a murdered girl in the woods or an FBI agent who is better than anyone else – or a superhero. F* me! There have to be other stories to tell," he said.
The director's latest project is an adaptation of Peter Heller's 2012 novel The Dog Stars. The action film follows Hig, a pilot played by Jacob Elordi, who tries to stay alive alongside a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world after a virus wipes out most of humanity.
Speaking at the world premiere in central London this week, Scott told the Press Association what drew him to the story: "Readers like music, and great writing is like great music. So, once I opened up that page with a good great writer, I listened to the music and I engaged."
He also warned audiences to "be careful" and "watch out," noting that the film's world is "like you have Covid and then you have financial global collapse in 2008, but greedy banking, then you have something else. You have panic, chaos." He added, "Pay attention because it is kind of circling the wagon frame."