10 Directors Who Bounced Back With A Vengeance After Failed Movies

6) Ridley Scott: From GI Jane To Gladiator

The Failure

Though some do consider 1997’s GI Jane to be the nadir of Ridley Scott’s career, truthfully, the director had spent almost a whole decade in the wilderness before he returned to fame and glory. Between 1991’s Thelma & Louise and 2000’s Gladiator, Scott made 1492: Conquest of Paradise, White Squall and Jane – all of which were received with indifference at best, and critical venom at worst.

The Comeback

If we have one movie to thank for putting Ridley Scott back on the map, it’s Gladiator. The goodwill fans and critics alike feel towards it is one of the reasons Scott is still such a Hollywood darling today, making high-profile films even though he hasn’t had a real hit in years. It’s understandable that this would be the film: so impeccably acted, lensed, scored, and told is Gladiator that it already felt like a classic in the year it was released. Five Oscars and a $457 million box office was its – and Scott’s – reward.