Ridley Scott: 'I'm an influencer, not a filmmaker'

Ridley Scott, the director behind such classics as Blade Runner, Alien, Thelma & Louise, and Gladiator, has a new title for himself: influencer. In a recent interview, the three-time Oscar nominee said he has often been ahead of the curve, which makes him an influencer rather than a traditional filmmaker.

"Every time, you are vulnerable," Scott said when asked about a common thread in his films. "Also, 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 filmmaker, I'm an influencer."

Scott also shared that he has several projects he still wants to tackle. "I've never done a Western," he said. "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."

His upcoming film, The Dog Stars, stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, and Josh Brolin. Scott praised Elordi as "a big star" and said they "got on great." He chose the project partly to move away from what he sees as repetitive Hollywood storytelling. "Look, everything now is about a murdered girl in the woods, or an FBI agent who is better than anyone else, or a superhero," he said. "There have to be other stories to tell."

Scott is set to receive an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November, alongside actress Glenn Close and Floyd Norman, Disney's first Black animator.