Terry Gilliam’s Unfinished Project To Begin Re-filming In 2015

Terry Gilliam and Jean Rochefort on the set of ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ in 2000

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, an unfinished film from director Terry Gilliam, is set to begin shooting in 2015, Gilliam tells The Wrap.

The project, which originally began pre-production in 1998 and filming in 2000, will now be started from scratch.

The novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes was converted into a script by Terry Gilliam and Tony Grisoni, who also participated on the screenplay for another Gilliam classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

After filming began in 2000, with Jean Rochefort as Don Quixote, and an additional modern character called Toby Grisoni (notice the similarity to the scriptwriters name), played by Johnny Depp.

However, after a number of issues, including flooding on set, the illness of Jean Rochefort and insurance problems, production was halted, and eventually abandoned.

In 2009, Gilliam attempted to re-start the production, with Robert Duvall as Don Quixote, and Johnny Depp still cast as Toby Grisoni. After Depp was faced with scheduling conflicts, he was replaced by Ewan McGregor, but due to funding issues, this production never got off the ground.

Gilliam has secured funding to re-start the project again, from Spanish producer Adrián Guerra, and has also made some changes to the plot to make it more modern.

Although Gilliam couldn’t disclose any of the names of actors he is hoping to be involved in the project, his producers are currently dealing with the agents of the actors he would like to see cast.

It is still unconfirmed, but it has recently been rumoured that John Hurt will play Don Quixote.

After all of the ups and downs that The Man Who Killed Don Quixote has faced, Gilliam remains positive about the production; “I’ve done it so many times – or not done it so many times – I’ll believe it when I see it. However, I’m behaving as if it’s all going to happen as planned.”

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is expected to begin filming in early 2015.