‘The Dog Stars’ Director Ridley Scott Says He’s Not a Filmmaker at All, He’s Something Else Entirely

Few directors working today have shaped as many entire genres as Ridley Scott, whose career has spanned nearly five decades without ever really settling into one lane. From redefining sci-fi horror to reinventing the historical epic, Scott has built a reputation less on repetition and more on constantly moving the goalposts of what audiences expect from him next.

At 88 years old, with an honorary Oscar from the Governors Awards coming this November and a new sci-fi film, ‘The Dog Stars,’ arriving in theaters on August 28, Scott is still finding new ways to describe exactly what it is he does for a living. That description, it turns out, has very little to do with the word most people would use for him.

Speaking with The Times of London, Scott rejected the “filmmaker” label entirely, explaining, “Every time, you are vulnerable. Also, I never want to repeat myself and all my films have been on the money. I’ve been ahead of the game frequently and, if you’re ahead of the game, you’re an influencer. So I’m not a filmmaker, I’m an influencer.”

Scott’s reasoning traces directly back to his filmography. ‘Alien’ reshaped science fiction horror, ‘Blade Runner’ redefined the visual language of cyberpunk cinema, ‘Thelma & Louise’ became a touchstone for how female characters could be portrayed on screen, and ‘Gladiator’ revived the historical epic for an entire new generation of filmmakers. Taken together, that track record makes a strong case for his self-assigned title, even if it’s an unusual way for a director of his stature to frame his own legacy.

That résumé has also made Scott one of the highest-grossing directors of all time, with two Golden Globes, two Emmys, and nominations across four Oscars, eight BAFTAs, and even a Grammy to his name. Few filmmakers working today, or influencers for that matter, can claim that kind of consistent cultural footprint across so many different genres.

The “influencer” comment wasn’t the only notable moment from the interview. Scott also took aim at the current state of Hollywood storytelling, criticizing what he sees as an overreliance on formulaic premises rather than original ideas, and insisting there have to be other stories left to tell beyond the usual crime and superhero fare dominating screens.

He also used the conversation to look ahead at his own remaining bucket list, revealing he’s never directed a Western and is currently developing a ‘Treasure Island’ adaptation starring Hugh Jackman. Beyond that, Scott expressed interest in eventually tackling a full-blown musical, as well as a passion project centered on the African elephant.

For a director who has spent decades reshaping genres rather than working comfortably within them, rebranding himself as an influencer rather than a filmmaker feels less like a gimmick and more like Scott simply describing the thing he’s always actually been doing. Whether Hollywood adopts the label or not, it’s hard to argue with the results backing it up.

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