Movie News

Ridley left Legend for Gladiator

Thu 10 Jan 12:20 PM

Current chart-topping blockbuster I Am Legend could've had a very different look.

The Will Smith pic has already taken over $300m worldwide wince its release, but it was originally scheduled to be made in 1999 by Ridley Scott - with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role as soldier/scientist Richard Neville.

Scott told the Australian Herald Sun newspaper that he quit because the studio wouldn't allocate enough money to the project.

"It was a budgetary thing, frankly. They said «It has to be X' and I said 'You can't make it for that'. So I walked across the road and made Gladiator,'' Scott says.

"I'm a realist. I don't like to go over budget. I'm very conscious of budget. I like to start off with the right budget rather than get them going, then go over budget during production, which is not fair. You can't do that. I prefer to say, 'That's what it will be. If I say less, it will come out to what I just said and you won't like it'.''