Ridley Scott says he should have directed Alien and Blade Runner sequels but didn’t get a choice: “You can imagine I wasn’t happy”

Ridley Scott has spoken out about not being asked to direct the Alien or Blade Runner sequels – and says he wasn’t happy about it.

“I was slow out the starting gate,” Scott told Vanity Fair. “I mean, I should have done the sequels to Alien and to Blade Runner. 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.” Cameron directed 1986’s Aliens, while Fincher helmed 1992’s Alien 3. Denis Villeneuve took the reins for Blade Runner 2049, which was released in 2017.  

He continued, “I’m the author of two franchises. Most directors in Hollywood – certainly, let’s say, at my level – don’t let that stuff go. 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.’ I was never told or asked [about sequels]. You can imagine I wasn’t happy.”

One sequel that Scott did get to make, however, is Gladiator 2. Paul Mescal stars as Lucius Verus, the former heir to the Roman Empire. Set 15 years after the first movie, Lucius has renounced his privilege for life as a gladiator. Separated from his family, he’s been living in the wilderness for the last decade and a half. 

The movie sees Connie Nielsen return as Lucilla, Lucius’ mother, and she’s joined by new cast members including Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Derek Jacobi, Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn, and The White Lotus’ Fred Hechinger.

Gladiator 2 arrives in UK cinemas on November 15 and US theaters on November 22. While we wait, check out our guide to the rest of this year’s most exciting movie release dates.