If you’ve followed the career of Terry Gilliam, you’d know that one of the projects that has enchanted and haunted him for the last 15 years is The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.  Somewhat appropriately, given the thematic conceit of the book, it’s been something of a windmill-chasing affair.  I wouldn’t lame the blame of that at Gilliam’s feet though, he’s always been an ambitious visionary and he knows that sometimes these things can essentially be cursed.

So kudos to him for not giving up on it.  Even though we’re not getting the Johnny Depp version featured in Lost in La Mancha (or even the Robert Duvall version they attempted after that), we may finally be getting a version of this movie after all.  And one that sounds quite interesting in the sense that he'll be incorporating some real-life elements into it.  Hit the jump for more on Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Kiilled Don Quixote.  And be on the lookout for The Zero Theorem interview I did with him that will be hitting in a few weeks.

terry-gilliam-don-quixote

Gilliam told The Wrap that he has financing and a potential cast for the film and it might include some real-life meta elements:

“I keep incorporating my own life into it and shifting it,” Gilliam said. “The basic underlying premise of that the version Johnny was involved in was that he actually was going to be transported back to the 17th century, and now it all takes place now, it's contemporary. It's more about how movies can damage people… Our main character actually made a Don Quixote movie a lot earlier in his history, and the effect it had on many people wasn't very nice. Some people go mad, some people turn to drink, some people become whores.”

Gilliam has yet to disclose his cast for the film.  I don't blame him, I wouldn't want this thing getting jinxed either.