Terry Gilliam’s Passion Project ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ Delayed Just Days Before Production
Zack Sharf
Terry Gilliam just can’t catch a break! Back in May at the Cannes Film Festival, the director confirmed his long-in-the-works passion project “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” would finally begin production this fall. Casting quickly began to take shape, with the likes of Adam Driver and Michael Palin joining the project as its two leads. Photos even hit the web that proved Gilliam and his team had scouted out all the locations for the new movie. But with production ready to begin this Monday, October 4, unfortunate news has struck again.
During a visit to Jonathan Ross’ BBC Radio 2 talk show, Gilliam confirmed that production on “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” has been delayed for the umpteenth time. Apparently, a producer on the project had lied about getting proper funding together in time for the movie’s October start date.
READ MORE: Cannes 2016: Terry Gilliam on ‘Continual Failure’ and ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’
“I was supposed to start to be shooting it starting next Monday. It’s been slightly delayed,” Gilliam told Ross. “I had this producer, a Portuguese chap, who claimed he’d get all the money together in time. And a few weeks ago, he proved that he didn’t have the money. So we are still marching forward. It is not dead. I will be dead before the film is.”
“The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” tells the story of Toby, to be played by Driver. Toby is an arrogant publicist who was once an aspiring director and decided to film a movie based on “Don Quixote” in a small Spanish village. Toby returns to the village years later, only to find that his film has had a terrible effect on the quiet place.
Despite another production obstacle, Gilliam is remaining committed to the project. The director addressed press at Cannes and assured them the project would finally be coming along.
“We should be here in Cannes next year with the finished film, and then you can ask me why I made such a mess of it or why I made such a wonderful film,” he told reporters. “I think it’s going to be great…It’s one of those dream nightmares that never leave you until you finish the thing,” Gilliam said. “I want to get this film out of my life so that I can get on with the rest of my life.”
A premiere at Cannes next year is now in question, though Gilliam did mention that production has only “slightly” been delayed. Let’s hope that means it gets off the ground sometime before the end of the year.
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