Director Ridley Scott has blamed millennials and their mobile phone use on the poor box office performance of his historical drama The Last Duel.
The movie, which stars Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck and was partially filmed partly in Ireland, has grossed just €28.1 million at the global box office since it debuted on October 1 and cost €100 million to make.
The Last Duel tells the story of a feud between Sir Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and his squire Jacques le Gris (Driver) over a dispute about his wife Marguerite (Comer).
Speaking on Marc Maron's WTF podcast, Scott, whose credits also include Blade Runner and Gladiator, has blamed younger audience for the movie’s failure to perform as well as expected.
"I think what it boils down to, what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f***ing cell phones.
"The millennian (sic) do not ever want to be taught anything unless you’re told it on a cell phone."
He added, "This is a broad stroke, but I think we’re dealing with it right now with Facebook."
"This is a misdirection that has happened where it’s given the wrong kind of confidence to this latest generation, I think."
However, Scott praised the studio for how they marketed the movie. "Disney did a fantastic promotion job," he said. "The bosses loved the movie . . . I was concerned it was not for them."
He added that he had no regrets about The Last Duel. "That’s the call you make. That’s the call Fox made. We all thought it was a terrific script," he said. "And we made it. You can’t win all the time.
"I’ve never had one regret on any movie I’ve ever made. Nothing. I learned very early on to be your own critic.
"The only thing you should really have an opinion on is what you just did. Walk away. Make sure you’re happy. And don’t look back. That’s me."
The Last Duel will be on Disney+ from December 1, while Scott’s latest film House of Gucci will be in cinemas this Friday.
