29 Facts About Movie Directors

1. In January 2016, Ridley Scott was in early negotiations to direct the screen version of the 1968 British TV series The Prisoner.

2. Ridley Scott was originally assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, which would have entailed realising the serial's eponymous alien creatures.

3. Ridley Scott went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London, contributing to college magazine ARK and helping to establish the college film department.

4. Ridley Scott was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2007.

5. Ridley Scott divides his time between homes in London, France, and Los Angeles.

6. Ridley Scott paid tribute to his late brother Tony at the 2016 Golden Globes, after his film, The Martian, won Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy.

7. Ridley Scott directed a revisionist adaptation of Robin Hood, which starred Russell Crowe as Robin Hood and Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian.

8. Ridley Scott was involved in the 2003 restoration and re-release of the original film.

9. In 1968, Ridley and Tony Scott founded Ridley Scott Associates, a film and commercial production company.

10. Ridley Scott made the decision to switch Ellen Ripley from the standard male action hero to a heroine.

11. Ridley Scott was married to Felicity Heywood from 1964 to 1975.

12. Ridley Scott studied at Grangefield Grammar School and West Hartlepool College of Art from 1954 to 1958, obtaining a diploma in design.

13. In February 1963 Ridley Scott was named in title credits as "Designer" for the BBC television programme Tonight, about the severe winter of 1963.

14. In 2003, Ridley Scott was knighted for his "services to the British film industry".

15. Ridley Scott is known for his enthusiasm for the DVD format, providing audio commentaries and interviews for all his films where possible.

16. Ridley Scott was appointed Knight Bachelor in the 2003 New Year Honours for services to the British film industry.

17. Ridley Scott was an executive producer of the first season of Amazon's The Man in the High Castle.

18. Ridley Scott worked with British visual effects company The Mill for the film's computer-generated imagery, and the film was dedicated to Oliver Reed who died during filming—The Mill created a digital body double for Reed's remaining scenes.

19. In 1984, Ridley Scott directed a big-budget television commercial, "1984", to launch Apple's Macintosh computer.

20. Ridley Scott paid tribute to his late brother Tony at the 2016 Golden Globes, after his film, The Martian, won Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy.

21. Ridley Scott informed the Variety publication in November 2014 that he was no longer the director for the film and would only fulfill a producer's role.

22. In 1991, Ridley Scott's notes were used by Warner Brothers to create a rushed director's cut which removed the main character's voiceover and made a number of other small changes, including to the ending.

23. Ridley Scott received his accolade from Queen Elizabeth II at a investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 8 July 2003.

24. In 1985, Ridley Scott directed Legend, a fantasy film produced by Arnon Milchan.

25. Ridley Scott has described Blade Runner as his "most complete and personal film".

26. Ridley Scott had a forest set built on the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, with trees 60 feet high and trunks 30 feet in diameter.

27. Ridley Scott has dedicated several of his films in memory of his family: Blade Runner to his brother Frank, Black Hawk Down to his mother, and The Counselor and Exodus: Gods and Kings to his brother Tony.

28. Ridley Scott worked with British visual effects company The Mill for the film's computer-generated imagery, and the film was dedicated to Oliver Reed who died during filming—The Mill created a digital body double for Reed's remaining scenes.

29. Ridley Scott took over the project in early 2006, and had screenwriter Steven Zaillian rewrite his script to focus on the dynamic between Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts.