Prometheus continued a problematic Ridley Scott career trend that was still going on in 2024

with PrometheusRidley Scott decided to write a new chapter in the Alien Mythology he helped to create, but in doing so, the legendary filmmaker continued a trend that was a defining aspect of his career. Ridley Scott is the creative force behind some of the most influential and iconic movies of all time. Except AlienHis work on projects like Blade Runner, GladiatorAnd Black Hawk down has won widespread acclaim. However, while his visionary style has made him one of the biggest names in the business, there is another, more frustrating aspect of his career, embodied by Prometheus.

Released in 2012, 33 years after the original Alien movie, Prometheus Promised to keep some lingering mysteries surrounding the extensive franchise. While the film’s story and narrative have undergone multiple revisions, its existence represents Scott’s continued obsession with the Alien Canon – an obsession reiterated by the release of Alien: CovenantFive years later Prometheus. If nothing else, This shows the passion Scott has for his creations. However, it also proves one of the biggest trends of Ridley Scott’s career – that he is almost incapable of leaving his movies alone after release.

Prometheus proves that Ridley Scott can’t leave his movies alone

He consistently revises old stories

Prometheus‘ History, which sees a ship of scientists traveling to a mysterious planet in order to discover more about the origins of humanity, is perhaps the most infamous example of Ridley Scott who could not resist tinkering with his previous films. The mere existence of the prequel is evidence of how Aliens biggest enduring questions have an ongoing influence on the director. The film addresses the so-called “Space jockey“, the origins of the mysterious alien ship of LV-426, and even how the Xenomorphs themselves came to be created.

The truth is that none of these questions need to be answered. AlienIts power comes from the terrifying lack of explanation And the sudden realization that the universe is much bigger – and scarier – than we could have ever imagined. However, although this topic made Alien One of the greatest sci-fi horrors ever made, Scott still can’t resist undermining the mystery. in Prometheus‘ Case, his urge to revisit resulted in two completely new films, both damaged Aliens legacy. However, while making a movie is an extreme way to demonstrate your dissatisfaction, this is not the only way Scott has played with previous projects.

Prometheus is just part of a bigger career trend

It was happening throughout his career

Perhaps more than any other filmmaker, Ridley Scott has demonstrated a propensity to honor his previous films and change them after release. His list of directors is incredibly long, including some of ​​​​his most famous projects. notoriously, Blade Runner Passed multiple revisions before The final cat In 2007. Likewise, kingdom of heaven And American gangster Both received much-edited extended editions, and even more recent ventures like Napoleon have been massively changed since release.

In fact, per CBR, Scott has done no less than 11 director’s cuts over the years – Not counting the multiple Blade Runner revisions (where his involvement and creative control is still a matter of some debate). Considering that his entire directorial career comprises 29 movies, these statistics indicate that Scott changes almost 50% of his movies after their initial release. While Prometheus‘ decision to graft a completely different story onto a pre-existing story is his most radical alteration, the rest of Scott’s career proves that it is just part of a wider pattern.

Ridley Scott changing his movies isn’t always a bad thing

Some of his best movies are director’s cuts

Given the way the Alien franchise has moved on, along with the unsatisfactory in-universe explanations for the Xenomorph’s origins, it’s fair to say that PrometheusAttempted revisionism is a failure. While the merits of the movie itself are up for debate, Its impact on the width Alien The narrative was too overcomplicated and muddled What used to be an elegant story that preached on our primal fear of the unknown. But, while Prometheus‘ Alien Changes are ultimately disappointing, the rest of Ridley Scott’s career suggests that his revisions are not always doomed to failure.

Blade Runner is the last example. When it was released, studio interference and disagreements over the story and tone resulted in a compromised release that severely mitigated the movie’s impact. While many people felt it was a masterpiece in it, early Blade Runner Versions were so flawed that they obscured the film’s true potential. It’s arguably only since The final cat That the movie came to be recognized as an indisputable great of sci-fi movies – something that would not have been possible without Scott’s appetite for change.

Similarly, less culturally resonant Scott projects have also benefited greatly from the director’s potential for retrospection. The kingdom of heaven The director’s fashion, for example, took what many consider to be an ambitious but flawed historical drama, and turned it into a “Epic where the theatrical release was truncated” (Per Empire). Likewise, in 2024, Scott was extended Napoleon Publication added similar latitude to a limited theatrical release. If Prometheus Shows the potential pitfalls of changing past films, these examples prove that there can be benefits.