Ridley Scott Gives His Opinion On The Current State Of Hollywood

TV & Film

Oct 7

It won’t be easy to get Sir Ridley Scott to sit through the latest Hollywood movie, because the 87-year-old filmmaker is not a fan of the current state of Hollywood. According to Deadline, the celebrated filmmaker behind movies like Gladiator, Blade Runner, The Martian, Hannibal, and Robin Hood did not mince his words while discussing his thoughts on the quality of films being made today. “The quantity of movies that are made today, literally globally – millions. Not thousands, millions… and most of it is s**t”, he said in comments during an interview about his career at BFI London Southbank on Sunday. It’s interesting to note that while Ridley’s statement will certainly ruffle feathers in Hollywood, he seems to have expressed his dislike of global cinema, which encompasses many other film industries as well. How much of it he actually watches is a question only Scott can answer; however, he’s not interested in most of what Hollywood filmmakers are coming up with in the name of fiction these days, and believes most of them are “saved” by digital effects, even though their script lacks in several areas.

When asked if he has a comfort movie, Scott admitted that even though “We’re drowning in mediocrity”, he has started “watching my own movies, and actually they’re pretty good! And also, they don’t age.” This may sound a bit self-absorbed of Ridley, but his enviable resume is full of blockbusters and award-winning films. However, his sequel to the 2000 blockbuster and Best Picture winner, Gladiator, wasn’t as well-received. After completing work on The Dog Stars, Ridley still has plans for Gladiator 3, even if no one asked for it. He says, “He’s around and he technically is the Emperor of Rome, and so I have a footprint about what I think it should be.” Ridley Scott isn’t the only famous Hollywood filmmaker to criticize the current state of the industry. Not so long ago, Martin Scorsese sent shockwaves through Hollywood when he claimed the industry is “over” and said he doesn’t consider Marvel movies cinema. It’s easy to chalk up Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese’s comments as a sign that they haven’t evolved with the times, but they may have a point. After all, there should always be room for improvement, and filmmakers can look to Ridley’s best work, including Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, and Alien, for inspiration.

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