Almost everyone is aware of the unsettling feeling of being observed while doing something, which can shake one’s confidence regardless of their skill or expertise. And filmmaker Denis Villeneuve also experienced this while working on the sequel of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film, Blade Runner. Released in 1982, the original movie received mixed reviews upon its release. However, it would later go on to become a cult hit.
Decades after the original film’s release, the sequel of the film finally went into production with Villeneuve taking the directorial duties and Scott serving as an executive producer. However, his constant presence on the set was not a very pleasing experience for the Dune director, who politely asked Scott to leave without directly saying it.
Denis Villeneuve Felt Uncomfortable Directing Blade Runner 2049 in Presence of Ridley Scott
In a conversation with Deadline, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve shared his experience working with Ridley Scott, who executive-produced the 2017 sequel to Blade Runner. He shared that the Oscar-winning filmmaker was heavily involved in the film’s production and would also frequently visit the set.
“The thing is, he was there a lot and not a lot, for the best,” he said before adding, “He was there a lot because I was dealing with his screenplay, I was dealing with his ideas, I was dealing with his universe, with his characters.”
And Villeneuve was well aware of his responsibility to live up to and honor the original film and Scott had trusted him with doing the same. He shared that the Alien director had given him full freedom and the space to work on the movie while assuring him that he would be there when needed.
“That was the best gift to receive,” he said. While it was all assuring for Villeneuve, Scott’s constant presence had also been a bit unsettling for him, as he shared, “Because I would have never been able to work with Ridley behind me.”
He recalled a similar incident when he was directing Harrison Ford, who headlined the original Blade Runner, in one of the scenes while Scott kept a check. The situation made the Blade Runner 2049 director so uncomfortable that he had to ask him to leave the set in the most polite yet creative way.
Denis Villeneuve Had to Ask Ridley Scott to Leave the Set
Further into his conversation with Deadline, Denis Villeneuve recalled the day on the set when he was filming a scene with Harrison Ford. While there was already enough pressure and responsibility to honor the legacy of Scott’s work, having him over his shoulder while he directed Ford, was “unbearable” for him.
“I mean he came on set one day and after a few minutes diving in behind me it was unbearable,” he said. And to get him off his shoulder, he noted a hypothetical situation, asking him about his best director. The Sicario director shared,
“I made a joke, I said to him, ‘Hey Ridley, who is your favorite director?’ And he said, ‘I love Ingmar Bergman and Kubrick… I said, ‘I love Bergman too. So Ridley, how would you feel if you were on set directing and you had Bergman just behind you?
Understanding what he was trying to imply, Scott burst out laughing and walked out of the set. “And he burst out laughing and he walked off the set,” he recalled before adding, “Because I was trying to direct Harrison Ford and I was like, ‘Nope, it doesn’t work.”
Despite a bit of uneasiness that he felt with Ridley Scott’s presence on the set, the 56-year-old filmmaker also acknowledged that “he was very generous and so very supportive” and offered him valuable advice whenever needed.
The Blade Runner film series is available to stream on Prime Video.
