Ridley Scott's ‘Treasure Island' With Hugh Jackman Delays November Start as Director Recovers From “Medical Procedure”

November 1 was supposed to be the day Ridley Scott's "Treasure Island" started production. Scott said so himself back in August, and Sony even built its calendar around that start date, slotting "Treasure Island" into a November 11, 2027 release.

Well, November 1 has come and gone, and the cameras don't appear to be rolling. As of this week, the Hugh Jackman-led pirate epic is still in pre-production. Now we may know why.

Scott, who turns 89 this month, underwent a medical procedure in London last week. His rep, Simon Halls, told People it was "a really minor procedure" and that the director is doing fine. However, doctors have advised him not to fly while he heals.

According to THR, that means Scott will miss the Academy's Governors Awards this Sunday, where he's finally receiving his first Oscar — an honorary one — after four competitive nominations and zero wins. He has pre-taped his acceptance speech, which will play during the ceremony.

Nobody at Sony or Scott Free has officially used the word "delay," but The Ridley Scott Archives has. For a film of this size, with Scott having scouted numerous locations, including the Canary Islands, the no-fly advice has clearly held up the start of production.

"Treasure Island" actually came together very quickly. The package, built around a Jack Thorne ("Adolescence") script with Hugh Jackman in the lead role, hit the market in June. Sony swooped in by late July. Hugh Grant and Owen Cooper soon came aboard, and by late September the film had a release date.

The project can't afford many more delays, as it's shaping up to be an expensive endeavor. Scott recently claimed "Treasure Island" could be the highest-budget film of his career before tax incentives. That would put it north of $200M, which is a lot of money to hand an 88-year-old coming off five straight costly flops: "The Last Duel," "House of Gucci," "Napoleon," "Gladiator II" and now "The Dog Stars."

Hopefully, "Treasure Island" starts production soon. Otherwise, that release date will probably have to change.

Ridley Scott's ‘Treasure Island' With Hugh Jackman Delays November Start as Director Recovers From “Medical Procedure”

November 1 was supposed to be the day Ridley Scott's "Treasure Island" started production. Scott said so himself back in August, and Sony even built its calendar around that start date.

Werner Herzog's Next Documentary ‘Walk of Life' Follows Man Who Walked Home for 28 Years — Targets 2027 Premiere

Karl Bushby's trek was wild, to say the least. He set off from Punta Arenas, Chile, in November 1998, expecting the walk to take about 12 years. It took 28.

‘You've Got Mail' Remake in the Works at Warner Bros. — Why? Because David Ellison Loves IP

Of all the '90s studio comedies that could use a remake, Warner Bros., under David Ellison's IP-hungry leadership, has decided the one that needs redoing is Nora Ephron's "You've Got Mail,"

Janusz Kamiński, Unprompted, Calls ‘Digger' “Magnificent" and “One of the Best Films I Have Ever Seen"

Janusz Kamiński is part of the “Digger hive.” He called it "magnificent" and "one of the best films he has ever seen." Nobody had brought the film up in the interview. Kamiński just decided to firmly plant his stance.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi Plans U.S. Remake of Claude Chabrol's ‘Just Before Nightfall’

The book has already been adapted twice, by two filmmakers who mean a lot to Hamaguchi. Naruse turned it into "The Stranger Within a Woman" in 1966, and Chabrol made "Just Before Nightfall" in 1971.

August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

Cannes 2027: Spitball #1 Includes Scorsese, Östlund, Bong, Chazelle, Nichols, Payne, Haynes, Weerasethakul — and Yes, Malick (Again)

If you've read this column for a while, you know the drill: I spitball Cannes every month from now until April, updating the latest intel and trying to figure out what will be in competition, vying for the Palme d'Or.

James Gray Takes Aim at Letterboxd, First Reactions, Star Ratings and Tomatometers: ‘2001’ Would Probably Be Rotten If Released Today”

James Gray is taking aim at the instant gratification that's infected film discourse, including social media first reactions, and Letterboxd. Oh, and he hates Rotten Tomatoes.

Brian De Palma's ‘Sweet Vengeance,' His First Film in 8 Years, Might Have a Cut Ready by February

Pino Donaggio confirmed he'll score De Palma's next feature, "Sweet Vengeance." It would be their ninth film together, a partnership that dates back 50 years to "Carrie."

Ari Aster's ‘Scapegoat' Has Started Shooting in New York City

Darius Khondji is back behind the camera as DP. That's a pairing that should give this thing Aster’s usual very specific, unnerving texture. Bobby Krlic is back to compose his fourth straight Aster movie.

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

Trending

Critics Polls