Ridley Scottsold the set of his 2005 movie for $10, only to pay $1 million to rent the set again fifteen years later. Scott has a dynamic directing career that began with the 1977 filmThe Duellists. His next movie,Alien, proved to be a breakout hit that launched a long-running franchise and remains one ofRidley Scott’s best movies. Scott’s next science-fiction film,Blade Runner, was critically divisive when it was released in 1982 and underperformed at the box office, but it is now considered to be a highly influential staple of the science-fiction genre.
Scott has made a lasting impact on other genres as well. His 1991 crime drama,Thelma and Louise, is still widely lauded as a powerful feminist film. A decade later, Scott’sBlack Hawk Downshowcased the true horrors of war based on real events from the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Scott has also helmed numerous movies that are historical epics, from the award-winningGladiatorand the recently releasedGladiator IIto his 2005 filmKingdom of Heaven.
Ridley Scott Wanted To Re-Acquire Kingdom Of Heaven’s Set For Gladiator II
He Wanted To Use The Set For Gladiator II’s Numidia Sequence
Scott soldKingdom of Heaven’s set for $10. TheOrlando Bloom-led movieis set during the Crusades and features an impressive cast that also includes Eva Green, David Thewlis, Edward Norton, Kevin McKidd, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and Liam Neeson. Bloom plays Balian, a crusader fighting to protect the Kingdom of Jerusalem from Sultan Saladin (Ghassan Massoud) and his army.Kingdom of Heavenwas made on a budget of $130,000 million and grossed $218.1 million worldwide (viaBox Office Mojo).
Kingdom of Heaven’s cast also featuredGame of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a village sheriff.
While speaking during an Academy-Award-nominated directors' roundtable withThe Hollywood Reporter, Scott revealed that when he learned that taking downKingdom of Heaven’s set in Ouarzazate, Morocco would cost him $300,000, he sold it to the Ouarzazates for $10, as long as they were willing to be responsible for the insurance.When Scott tried to rent the set fifteen years later forGladiator 2, it now cost $1 million, even though it had originally been his set. Check out Scott’s comments below:
I did a big film called Kingdom of Heaven years ago in Ouarzazate, Morocco. And to take it down would’ve cost me $300,000. So I said to the Ouarzazates, “Do you want to buy it? I can sell it to you for $10, but you have to take on all the responsibility of insurance.” So I sold it for $10. Fifteen years later, I wanted to rent it back to do the Numidian sequence [in Gladiator II]. I had to pay $1 million to rent my own set.
Our Take On Ridley Scott’s Comments
The Kingdom Of Heaven Set Is Used Well In Gladiator II’s Story
From a creative standpoint, Scott renting hisKingdom of Heavenset worked well.Gladiator II’s opening Numidia sequence is among the best parts of the long-awaited sequel. Not only does it contain riveting action, but itestablishes Paul Mescal’s Lucius Verus and the place that has become his homesince sinceGladiator’s ending. As discussed between the directors during the roundtable, it is ideal and more environmentally sustainable to reuse sets when possible. Due to inflation and other factors, reusing theKingdom of Heavenset was costly for Scott, but it proved to be a worthwhile rental.
The Sets Are One Of The Best Parts Of Ridley Scott’s Movies
They Help Capture The Epic Scale Of His Stories
BetweenRidley Scott’s prequels, sequels, and standalone films, one of the consistent strengths in his work is the impressive sets.Pedro Pascal’s praise forGladiator IIis indicative of this, withPascal sharing that"I have not been on a set as impressive as Gladiator’s"and that"Ridley [Scott] leaves very little to the imagination.“This is high praise coming from an actor who has worked on movies and series with high production values, includingGame of Thrones,The Mandalorian,Wonder Woman 1984, andThe Last of Us.
From Ancient Rome to the moon of LV-233, Scott wants the sets of his movies to feel immersive, and to physically communicate the scale of the epic stories he is telling, regardless of the genre that the story belongs in.
Scott generally prefers to rely on grand sets instead of overrelying on visual effects. This was the case inRidley Scott’s Alien prequel,Prometheus, where heinsisted that a cave set be built 26 feet longer instead of using a green screen. From Ancient Rome to the moon of LV-233, Scott wants the sets of his movies to feel immersive, and to physically communicate the scale of the epic stories he is telling, regardless of the genre that the story belongs in.
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WithKingdom of Heaven,Scott knew that the set he needed for Numidia already existed, and it made sense to reuse it instead of building a new one from scratch. IfGladiator IIIhappens, Scott will hopefully be able to reuse some of the Ancient Rome sets that were used during the sequel without needing to pay an exorbitant price to rent them. It is rewarding to know about the link between the sets inRidley Scott’sKingdom of HeavenandGladiator II.
