Ridley Scott Says He’s Not a “Filmmaker,” He’s an “Influencer” Because He’s Always Been “Ahead of the Game”

Ah, yes — Ridley Scott must be promoting a new movie, which means lots of ridiculous quotes from the many interviews he’s doing.

Exhibit A: Promoting “The Dog Stars,” which I’m hearing mixed things about, Scott tells The Times of London that he sees himself not as a “filmmaker,” but as an “influencer” since he’s always “been ahead of the game.”

Every time, you are vulnerable. 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, a three-time Oscar-nominated director, was ahead of the game with “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” no doubt about it. Furthermore, “Thelma & Louise” is now seen by many as a feminist classic, and “Gladiator” reinvigorated the sword-and-sandals epic. However, these last 10 years? It’s been a bit more of a struggle for Scott.

“The Martian” came out in 2015 to strong reviews and would end up getting a Best Picture nomination, but after that, it’s been, in chronological order, “Alien: Covenant,” “All the Money in the World,” “The Last Duel,” “House of Gucci,” “Napoleon” and “Gladiator II.”

Later in the interview, Scott, 88, admits he’s “never done a Western,” which he plans to make soon, further adding that he has plans “to do a musical” and also has a “marvelous film about the African elephant.”

And, of course, since this is a Ridley Scott interview, he has to throw shade at Hollywood and the tedious movies they greenlight.

“Look, everything now is about a murdered girl in the woods, or an FBI agent who is better than anyone else — or a superhero,” Scott said. “Fuck me! There have to be other stories to tell.”

This is the same man who, just last year, referred to “modern cinema” as “sht” and said that the lack of quality in today’s movies had led him to rewatching his own work instead. You gotta love him. Whether he’s calling Gladiator II “the best film I’ve ever made,” describing G.I. Jane as “The best pro-women film ever made,” dismissing superhero movies as “boring as sh*t,” or proclaiming, “I’m expensive, but I’m good,” his interviews are always a joy to read. But maybe that’s the secret to his longevity: a man so convinced of his own genius that he keeps chasing it, film after film, decade after decade—whether we’re still buying it or not.