'She Destroyed Me': Ridley Scott Says 1 Critic Shattered Blade Runner's Box Office Prospects

Ridley Scott's earliest films are now cult classics, but only Alien was a breakout hit when it was released in theaters. Scott reflected on Blade Runner's fumble at the box office.

Ridley Scott said Blade Runner and Alien would have been equally successful if not for one film critic's scathing feedback. "She destroyed me," he told Entertainment Weekly, referring to Pauline Kael, The New Yorker's legendary film critic who "destroyed Blade Runner in four pages."

"I didn't even meet her," he added. "To me, it almost walked in the column of industrial espionage, because you're destroying a product before it's out." Scott confirmed he had those four pages framed and mounted in his office, as his constant reminder not to read and believe his own press.

Blade Runner has nothing to give the audience.

Kael's 1982 Blade Runner review read: "Blade Runner has nothing to give the audience… It hasn't been thought out in human terms. If anybody comes around with a test to detect humanoids, maybe Ridley Scott and his associates should hide. With all the smoke in this movie, you feel as if everyone connected with it needs to have his flue cleaned."

Ridley Scott's Legend Also Floundered In Theaters

Blade Runner gained a growing cult following over the years, vindicating its failure at the box office. Scott said his fourth movie Legend suffered a similar fate, the film had a stellar ensemble headlined by Tom Cruise, who was then already a bankable actor after starring in Losin' It, All the Right Moves, and Risky Business. Scott's dark fantasy was critically panned, and it only earned $23 million against its $25 million budget. "These are all good movies, so there's something deeply wrong with the audience or marketing," Scott said, referring to his early films' performance in theaters.

"But you know, I'm not bitter," he added. "I'm very happy where I am. It is the best attitude that one can have. I think, you know, that's the best attitude that one can have, to just love all of your movies, trust, and keep going." Scott has since helmed a string of critical hits since 1985's Legend, highlighted by G.I. Jane, Black Hawk Down, Hannibal, The Martian, and American Gangster. At 87, he released Gladiator II, which ended with a tease of a third installment. He also confirmed he's working on a new Alien project, his fourth venture into the franchise he created.