Ridley Scott, director of “Gladiator 2”, says he doesn’t think about retiring, even at 86

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ridley Scott shared his reflections on his career and what keeps him so productive at 86. The director of films like “Alien – The Eighth Passenger” and “Gladiator” revealed that his motivation doesn’t come from an obligation, but from the pleasure of telling new stories.

For Scott, directing has never been a job but a true passion, essential to his energy and longevity in the film industry: “I wouldn’t be doing this [if directing was a job]. It’s my passion, and therefore, my pleasure. I think that’s what really keeps me going. I’ve hurt myself a lot playing tennis. I have knee problems, and now I get injections in them — I can’t be the old man limping on set because when we were making ‘Gladiator II’, it was 45 degrees, and I had to be there”, said Ridley Scott.

The filmmaker also commented on the challenging process of creating a new film, mentioning that he envies actors because their work requires less bureaucracy: “Since ‘Gladiator,’ I think I’ve made 16 films — which is a lot for 20 years. I’ve always envied actors because they can make two or three films a year. They don’t need to go through so much preparation, just learn their lines. I have to prepare the script, do the budget, cast the actors, film, produce, edit, and deliver. The actor just needs to show up and do their job”.

When asked about the future, Scott has no plans to slow down anytime soon, joking that he will only stop directing when he dies: “When I go. Clint [Eastwood] is 92 and still making films. I still have a few left”, said Ridley Scott.

It is worth remembering that the director’s next film will be “Gladiator II”, written by David Scarpa, who worked with Scott on “Napoleon”, and will be a direct sequel to the classic starring Russell Crowe. With Paul Mescal playing Lucius, the epic film will hit theaters on November 15.

In addition to Mescal, the cast includes Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, Joseph Quinn, and May Calamawy.