Boasting a prodigious prize list in filmmaking, Ridley Scott sheds light on an issue that has been on our minds for a while. On the occasion of a dialogue on his latest chef d'oeuvre, i.e. Exodus: Gods and Kings, Ridley Scott put in plain words why he never undertook to direct a comic book movie.
Exodus: Gods and Kings, starring Christian Bale as Moses, is in theaters now. And it is definitely not a comics smash. We don't challenge here its merits as cinematographic achievement - it might very well be sellout in its own right. But we don't see the comics quality required by the genre in order to be labeled as such. Those who tend to see in Ridley Scott's latest flick a comic book adaptation really read too much into it. Moses is on occasion worked out into various comic strips as character, but that's too weak of an argument to take it seriously.
Ridley Scott backs up: they're the hardest single thing to write
The director himself turns down this interpretation. His explanation is not relevant for Exodus: Gods and Kings exclusively. On the contrary, it bears on his entire career until now and, possibly, on his future projects. Ridley Scott confesses comic book movies "are the hardest single thing to write. Taking a comic strip character is very hard to write".
And then he argues "comics are meant to work in one page, to work in frames with minimalistic dialogue. And a lot of it is left to the imagination of the reader. To do that in film you've got to be a little more explanatory. And that requires a good screenplay and good dialogue".
And he knows what he's talking about because, Ridley Scott continues, "I've had a lot of opportunities and I tend not to do that". He, however, concedes "Blade Runner was a comic strip. It was a comic strip! It was a very dark comic stip. Comic metaphorically".
What do you make of that? Pipe up and tell us your take on Scott's last reference after you listen the IGN interview. Also, do you think in the event Scott is offered to direct a comic book movie, will he take up the challenge?
