‘Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ Curse Continues: Amazon Pulls Out Of U.S. Distribution

Oof, Terry Gilliam is having a hard time these days. Another way to say it is the Quixote curse looks like it won’t abate. The legendary director just got out of a brief hospital stay (this has been confirmed, though it looks like it wasn’t a stroke), and the legal drama around his latest film, “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce is still swirling.

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But matters are getting worse. In the face of this legal tug of war, Amazon Studios has pulled out of the film and won’t be distributing “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” in the U.S. This is of course on the heels of the decision Cannes has to make today: will the festival organizers premiere the film on Closing Night? Cannes organizers have claimed, in typical sniffy Cannes fashion, that they are beyond lawsuits, that they care not for that drama and they’ll make a decision whether to screen the film soon.

READ MORE: Terry Gilliam Talks Criterion Release Of ‘The Fisher King,’ Working With The Late Robin Williams, More [Playlist Interview]

That soon is today, and the decision should land sometime Wednesday afternoon according to various trade reports. Here’s the official synopsis from Cannes:

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Toby, a cynical advertising director, finds himself trapped in the outrageous delusions of an old Spanish shoe-maker who believes himself to be Don Quixote. In the course of their comic and increasingly surreal adventures, Toby is forced to confront the tragic repercussions of a film he made in his idealistic youth – a film that changed the hopes and dreams of a small Spanish village forever. Can Toby make amends and regain his humanity? Can Don Quixote survive his madness and imminent death? Or will love conquer all?

As for the reported stroke? Overblown. “While we don’t comment on personal health matters, we can confirm that Terry Gilliam is currently at home preparing for his trip to Cannes next week in support of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” is a statement Gilliam’s people gave to Deadline.

Frankly, it’s not looking good for Gilliam or ‘Quixote’ and given Amazon just bailed; it’s a safe bet for all their posturing, Cannes won’t premiere the movie after all. Fingers crossed, I suppose, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you. More this afternoon.