Veteran director Ridley Scott has revealed in a recent interview that he is preparing to finally direct a Western, after years of trying, and discussed his ambitions for future films, including a pirate adventure and a musical. The acclaimed filmmaker shared his Ridley Scott upcoming Western and future film plans while promoting his latest science fiction project, The Dog Stars, due in 2026.
Ridley Scott Moves Closer to His First Western Film
Scott, known for an extensive and genre-spanning filmography, told Collider that after years of unsuccessful attempts, he now owns the rights to a new Western script based on a novel. For many years, Scott had pursued a feature adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, but the film found its way instead to director John Hillcoat. With the new unannounced script in hand—tracked down from the estate of a deceased author—Scott says he’s finally ready to move forward when the timing is right.
“If they’re good enough, and you know it’s not the moment because everyone’s afraid of it, you keep it sitting, waiting, and then come back. So, I have a Western, which is the best Western I’ve ever read. It was on a shelf of an author who had died. It’s from his estate. We tracked it. I bought the script, so I own it, and the moment will come to make it. So, I still have to do a musical. I still have to do a pirate movie. I still have to do a Western,”
—Ridley Scott, Director, to Collider.
Despite the enthusiasm, Scott declined to disclose the name of the novel or its author at this time, holding back further information about the story’s origins until the project is officially underway.
Future Projects: Pirate Movie and Musical in the Pipeline
Alongside his Western, Scott expressed a strong desire to direct both a pirate movie and a musical before bringing his storied career to a close. However, with Ridley Scott’s long list of announced and unmade films in the past—including a Merlin origin story for Disney and a Monopoly movie—industry watchers caution that these future projects, while enticing, are not guaranteed to come to fruition. Scott is known to shift quickly between ideas and commitments, making it difficult to predict which concepts will eventually reach the screen.
Current and Upcoming Films from Ridley Scott
Scott’s present attention is focused on The Dog Stars, a science fiction drama adapted from Peter Heller’s post-apocalyptic novel. The Dog Stars is currently filming at 20th Century Studios, with a planned release date of March 27, 2026. The film features a notable cast, including Jacob Elordi of Frankenstein, Margaret Qualley from The Substance, Josh Brolin of Weapons fame, Guy Pearce known for The Brutalist, and Benedict Wong, who previously appeared in Prometheus.
Additionally, Scott is attached to direct a biopic on the Bee Gees for Paramount Pictures. That project is anticipated as his next endeavor following The Dog Stars.
What Lies Ahead for Scott’s Cinematic Ventures
Scott’s production company, Scott Free, continues to oversee the Alien franchise. The director recently suggested he might be finished helming further Alien productions himself, leaving the fate of the third prequel film, Alien: Awakening, uncertain. As Scott remains prolific and energetic, the rapid pace of his work suggests announcements regarding the Ridley Scott upcoming Western and future film plans could arrive sooner than expected.
With names like Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong linked to his latest project, and the experience of navigating Hollywood’s unpredictable development cycles, Scott’s fans remain eager to see which of his bold visions—Western, pirate film, or musical—will reach audiences in the near future.
