Ridley Scott is considered one of the most innovative directors in the world, often likened to Steven Spielberg, as both directors have dared to work on one-of-a-kind films.
Ridley Scott made his mark by directing Alien , the science-fiction movie that was produced in 1979. Alien is a story about the battle between a space crew and an extraterrestrial being that uses the human body for incubation in its reproductive cycle.
A behind the scenes look at Ridley Scott on the set of #Alien adjusting Ash’s head in between takes. #SciFiSaturday pic.twitter.com/o7O5G4RDp8
— Monster Squad Book (@MonsterSquadFX) January 1, 2017
Alien was successful at the box-office, and Ridley Scott went on to win critical acclaim for directing another popular science-fiction movie, Blade Runner .
Apart from directing sci-fi films, Ridley Scott is also known for directing thrilling films that are based on famous historical events or characters, including 1492: The Conquest of Paradise , Gladiator , Black Hawk Down , and Exodus: Gods and Kings .
Most of the director’s historical movies are award-winning masterpieces and works that are considered to be delightful visual treats. This might explain the reason why Ridley Scott has never tried his hand at directing superhero movies, such as those from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Films as the majority of superhero movies are based on stories that were previously published in the comic books. A filmmaker directing a superhero movie usually focuses on meeting the expectations of the audiences who have already read the comic books. Moreover, superhero movies rely on special visual effects to portray the unrealistic situations depicted in the story.
In contrast, Ridley Scott’s historical movies focus on the plot and the emotional development of the characters. His films are based on real-life historical figures like Christopher Columbus, the Roman gladiators, the Christian crusaders, United States Marines, and even Moses. These are characters that are revered and admired by historians. According to Uproxx , Ridley Scott has admitted that he would never be interested in joining the league of directors who have earned accolades for directing superhero films .
“Superhero movies are not my kind of thing – that’s why I’ve never really done one. [I’ve been asked] several times, but I can’t believe in the thin, gossamer tight-rope of the non-reality of the situation of the superhero.”
Ridley Scott being interviewed at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for the ALIEN Premiere on May 25th, 1979 pic.twitter.com/rqmGTcRLLb
— 41 Strange (@41Strange) January 8, 2017
Ridley Scott equates a superhero film to a fictional film and holds that opinion that his film Blade Runner can be considered as the film from his extensive repertoire that comes closest to a superhero movie. And the director is content that the movie did extremely well financially, and it can still draw huge crowds. According to Cinema Blend , Ridley Scott spoke about how traditional superheroes can be included in the Blade Runner ‘s story to make it appear to look like a movie based on comic strips .
“I’ve done that kind of movie – Blade Runner really is a comic strip when you think about it, it’s a dark story told in an unreal world. You could almost put Batman or Superman in that world, that atmosphere, except I’d have a f***ing good story, as opposed to no story!”
Scott’s Alien franchise appears to be more popular than even, after three decades, as the director has continued the franchise by working on films whose stories lead up to events shown in the 1979 Alien , including Prometheus , which was released in 2012, and the upcoming Alien: Covenant .
An exclusive new look at #KatherineWaterson and #RidleyScott from #AlienCovenant via @empiremagazine https://t.co/JVrjTety0y pic.twitter.com/RPK2juch0F
— RSA Films (@rsafilms) January 5, 2017
It may be surprising to some that Ridley Scott is shying away from superhero films when he has the potential to apply his skills to the genre which is now considered as very lucrative. In the past, superhero movies were not produced frequently and, when they were produced, they were prominently based on either Batman or Superman.
In recent years, however, more A-list celebrities are coming on board the superhero trend, featuring in movies that are based on the broad range of Marvel and DC Comics superheroes. Doctor Strange , the latest superhero movie, featured Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead.
Did you know that #RidleyScott ‘s iconic chest bursting scene in #Alien (1979) was filmed in one take using four cameras? #NationalTriviaDay pic.twitter.com/0bBCDIfSlH
— RSA Films (@rsafilms) January 4, 2017
However, the excitement surrounding superhero films failed to motivate Ridley Scott, who continues to believe that superhero movies are produced in a format that can’t be considered as an integral part of cinema. According to Movie Web , Scott revealed that he would never be enticed by the present-day superhero movies .
“I want to keep doing cinema and I hope it doesn’t affect those of us who still keep making smart films. I’m hoping it doesn’t affect me.”
[Featured Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]