Ridley Scott has shelved his planned Bee Gees biopic at Paramount Pictures for now following disagreements over the deal with the studio.
The renowned director revealed in an interview with GQ magazine that the project, which was initially set to begin filming in early 2025, is no longer moving forward.
Scott explained what happened, saying: “The deal — the studio changed the goalposts. I said, ‘You can’t do that.’ They insisted. I said, ‘Well, I’m going to warn you, I will walk, because I will go on to the next movie.’ They didn’t believe me, and I did.”
Despite this setback, Scott seemed optimistic that a resolution with Paramount could be reached, and he is looking for the film to get back on track around September.
Scott went on to talk about the negotiations with Paramount, saying: “I was being asked to go too far, and I said, ‘No. Next!’ They didn’t like my deal. So I said, I’ll move on. I’m expensive, but I’m f–king good.”
Meanwhile, he has pivoted to another project, the post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars, which is scheduled to start filming in April for 20th Century Studios.
Scott Free, the director’s production company, confirmed that The Dog Stars will now move forward as Scott’s next project, while the Bee Gees biopic remains on the horizon.
A source at Paramount said that the biopic is still in development for a potential fall shoot.
When talking about the Bee Gees film, Scott said: “It’s all about competition with brothers, and then they lose Andy — Andy OD’d at 30. … It’s more about the gift than the luck, right? It’s a fantastic story.”
This isn’t Scott’s first brush with the Bee Gees. Early in his career, their manager, Robert Stigwood, approached him about making a film to reconcile the group, who were at odds at the time. Scott proposed a medieval-themed movie and even met the brothers, though the movie never got made.
If the biopic proceeds, it would mark another collaboration between Scott and Paramount following the success of Gladiator II, which grossed $455 million worldwide.
As for The Dog Stars, Jacob Elordi will take on the lead role, replacing Paul Mescal. Elordi, known for Priscilla and Euphoria, will play a pilot navigating a post-apocalyptic world alongside a cranky gunman as they evade scavengers known as Reapers.
