×

Ridley Scott blames millennials and their “f**cking cellphones” for box office failure of ‘The Last Duel’

By Stephen Iervolino Nov 24, 2021 | 11:00 AM


20th Century Studios

(NOTE LANGUAGE) In his latest bit of cinematic “get off my lawn!”, legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott says millennials are to blame for his film The Last Duel fizzling at the box office. 

Just days after he dissed superhero movies to Deadline as “boring as sh**,” Scott chatted with Marc Maron on his WTF podcast, and let millennials have it over the tepid theatrical performance of the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon medieval movie.

Released October 15, the movie has made just over $27 million globally on a reported budget of $100 million.

“I think what it boils down to — what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f**king cell phones,” the director said. “The millennian do not ever want to be taught anything unless you are told it on the cell phone. This is a broad stroke, but I think we’re dealing with it right now with Facebook. There is a misdirection that has happened where it’s given the wrong kind of confidence to this latest generation, I think.”

He added, “We all thought it was a terrific script, and we made it,” allowing, “You can’t win all the time.”

Scott commented, “I’ve never had one regret on any movie I’ve ever made. Nothing. I learned very early on to be your own critic….Walk away. Make sure you’re happy. And don’t look back. That’s me.”

For the record, Scott believes he’s made three great superhero movies — but just not the comic book kind.

“One would be Alien with Sigourney Weaver,” he told Deadine. “One would be f***ing Gladiator, and one would be Harrison Ford [in Blade Runner]. They’re superhero movies. So, why don’t the superhero movies have better stories?”

Scott’s latest film, House of Gucci, is now in theaters.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.