Terry Gilliam’s long-in-development “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” has been rife with controversy for the better part of two decades. From the aborted production in 2000 to the multiple attempts by Gilliam to get the production back on its feet throughout the last 15 years, this project seemed doomed to never see the light of day. However, against all odds, the film actually went in production again last year, with an eyed release date of May 2018. But now that release date, and the film’s potential future, is once again in peril.
The latest controversy is summed up in a recent report by French media outlet France Inter. The basic situation is that back in 2016, Gilliam and producer Paulo Branco reached an agreement about the production of “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” In the agreement, Branco would provide the necessary funding for the project, and allow Gilliam to have the creative freedom to fully realize his vision, in exchange for the rights to the film.
After none of the promised funding was provided by Branco, Gilliam moved on and found another producer to help get the film going. This, of course, led to the film finally going into production, finishing production, and being prepped for release this Spring. Unfortunately for Gilliam, Branco popped up again, with a claim that the film is not to be released until he gives permission, since he owns the rights to the project, based on that 2016 contract. Gilliam feels that the contract was null and void due to the lack of funding on Branco’s part.
Recently, the case went to court, with Gilliam suing Branco over the rights, but the judgment won’t be handed down until June 15. This means that the planned May release, and a possible premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival are now thrown out the window. At the earliest, Gilliam and his team would have to wait until mid-June to secure the rights and move forward with a release strategy.
Worst case…well, for Gilliam’s sake, we won’t speculate about that. Needless to say, it’s not good.
So, for now, it seems like everything surrounding “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” is still up in the air, as the troubled project hits yet another snag. However, as the last 20 years has proven, Gilliam is a persistent creator who just wants this film to see the light of day.