Director Ridley Scott isn’t going to lie. The box office failure of his recent historical epic, The Last Duel, he said, was “exceedingly disappointing.” But that isn’t going to stop him from looking on the bright side, he told The New York Times in a new interview promoting his second film of the year, House of Gucci.
Starring Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck, The Last Duel is an expansive tale of palace intrigue that doubles up as a post-#MeToo parable. Set in medieval France, the film is based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager, about a knight who challenges his friend to a judicial duel after his wife accuses the friend of rape. Scott employed the Rashomon effect in the film, narrating the story through three contrasting perspectives.
Made on a reported budget of $100 million, it made only $10 million domestically, and appears to have all but tapped out with less than $30 million worldwide. It was always a risky proposition—adult-oriented dramas like The Last Duel are getting rarer by the year—but considering the talent involved both in front of and behind the camera, it’s one of the most notable commercial disappointments of 2021.
Scott admitted that he felt the blow, but also took a moment to remind everybody that Blade Runner—one of the most enduring classics that he has directed—was essentially written off after its release in 1982. He said:
“It was exceedingly disappointing. The fatal thing is when you think you’ve got it, you haven’t — I thought I’d got it on Blade Runner and I hadn’t! I was crucified by a big critic at the time called Pauline Kael. It’s why I never read critiques, ever. You have to be your own decider — if you worry about what the audience is thinking and what they may want, that’s fatal. A good film will find itself, and now Blade Runner is in the Library of Congress."
Scott appears to rely on a typical British stiff upper lip mentality as a coping mechanism. He added:
“There’s nothing like success to make you feel good in the morning, right? At the same time, if you get some kind of clip or hit, don’t let it get to you. If you like what you did, move on.”
After premiering at the Venice Film Festival in September, The Last Duel opened to positive reviews on October 15. The film will be available on digital—4K UHD, HD, and SD—beginning November 30. It will be available on physical media—4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD—beginning December 14.