The Merlin Saga

[bb-15]

Up until recently, I don't think Scott would've thought twice about working for Disney.  He just wouldn't have done so - but as they have swallowed up one of the big studios whole, I bet he's finding it necessary to reconsider such work. 

-Windebieste.

Yes, as Disney grows, every major director will need to consider dealing with the Mouse House.
- As for a Merlin film, that's a natural for Disney fantasy though Scott will likely go in the more gritty direction of an "Excalibur" instead of the cute animated "Sword in the Stone" or something like Jack Sparrow in Camelot.
- Back to Alien; this news tells me that Disney does not yet know what to do with it.

[Beatnation]

If this was Blomkamp people would be saying that Aliens 2.5 is a lock and DISNEY gonna revive Ripley, Hicks and Newt.

But because is Scott... yeah Disney doesn't know what to do yet right??

Scott will end his trilogy,  pretty sure about that now.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Fox is distributing The Cartel, with Shane Salerno's The Story Factory and Scott Free financing. Now that Fox is under Disney, I wonder if the making of it has something to do with Scott now being in talks to do Merlin, since it seemed like Cartel was set to be Ridley's next film.

Yeah, The Cartel was supposed to have started on principle next month. That's what Scott said just a couple of weeks ago. If Scott Free was to be one of the main financiers maybe the lackluster box office performance of Alien Covenant and the disastrous performance of Blade Runner 2049 and All the Money in the World had something to do with it? In fact, the only Scott Free production that did well last year was Murder on the Orient Express.

- As for a Merlin film, that's a natural for Disney fantasy though Scott will likely go in the more gritty direction of an "Excalibur" instead of the cute animated "Sword in the Stone" or something like Jack Sparrow in Camelot.

Funnily enough, after watching Alien: Covenant I thought Scott should really do a dark fantasy movie again. I mean you can see he wants to do one. Maybe the same thought occurred to someone at Disney?

It looks like he will be doing an adaption of the book Merlin: The Lost Years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_Book_1%3A_The_Lost_Years

[Ingwar]

It's book 1 out of ... 12. I have bad feelings about this plus it's gonna be family friendly flick. I hope he's doing The Cartel next.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

It'll probably be along the lines of Legend. Rated PG (violence) but still a kind of dark fairy tale.

Or so I hope...

[Ingwar]

I doubt that Scott would cancel The Cartel. Its pre-production probably already started unless he's gonna do it after Merlin movie. I have a feeling that I will never see Wraiths of the Broken Land. Tough shit.

[0321recon]

Funnily enough, after watching Alien: Covenant I thought Scott should really do a dark fantasy movie again. I mean you can see he wants to do one. Maybe the same thought occurred to someone at Disney?

I had that same thought when I saw that scene with David standing in the rain with the Covenant crew. It look something straight out of the Lord of the Rings.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Ha yes, one of the Covenant concept artist's even did a little fun alternate version of one of his paintings:

[0321recon]

Ha yes, one of the Covenant concept artist's even did a little fun alternate version of one of his paintings:

Yup! Exactly! 

[Anthony]

I doubt that Scott would cancel The Cartel. Its pre-production probably already started unless he's gonna do it after Merlin movie. I have a feeling that I will never see Wraiths of the Broken Land. Tough shit.

Perhaps, and it's been a while since we've heard anything about The Prisoner as well.

[bb-15]

It's book 1 out of ... 12. I have bad feelings about this plus it's gonna be family friendly flick.

It's Disney so family friendly is no surprise at all.
And what is "The Merlin Saga"? It is a series of 12 books about a young wizard.
Gee, it doesn't take much to see what Disney is up to.

Disney is in a fierce battle with Warner Brothers.
The Mouse House has been able to cripple the WB DCEU with Marvel.
And the next logical WB target for Disney would be the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts franchise.

I'm certain the studio has looked at Ridley's big hits "The Martian"/"Gladiator", and figures that with the right script and guidance (studio control) Ridley can produce another winner. 
Anyway, the execs probably think it's worth the gamble.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Ridley Scott's 'Merlin' Adds 'Prometheus' Cinematographer and Production Designer.

https://twitter.com/OmegaUGround/status/959104565743374339

[Ingwar]

Ehhh ... then what about The Cartel, Wraiths of the Broken Land and WWII? They might end up on the list of unfinished Scott's projects like Aldous Huxley's Brave New World or The Prisoner. Anyway, I'm looking forward to this. I'm fantasy nerd.

[Anthony]

I get the feeling that's a part of Ridley's plan actually. Do this film for Disney, and he has a shot at doing those films. And Battle Of Britain is apparently a passion project for him, so he could try to take it somewhere else if Disney-Fox don't move forward with it.

[Scorpio]

Yeah he needs a big hit desperately.  The bigger films are needed to finance the smaller films, and make up for any losses.

I understand why they would go Merlin, because King Arthur's name is box office poison now, thanks to many failed adaptations.  Of course they did 2 tv shows based on Merlin.