The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Film Set for 2019 Release

Screen Media has acquired the North American rights to Terry Gilliam’s feature The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Indie Wire has confirmed. In partnership with Fathom Events, the company has announced a March 2019 release date for the film following its world premiere at Cannes 2018 in May.

Setbacks and triumphs have clouded the release of Gilliam’s passion project, including health, legal, and financial issues as well as previous distributor Amazon Studios dropping the project. David Fannon, President of Screen Media, said: “Terry Gilliam is a true auteur and his latest film does not disappoint. It is the perfect pairing of a film with a filmmaker, the story of Don Quixote, a man who believes in things that seemingly no one else believes in until finally, they share his vision. Screen Media is thrilled that U.S. audiences will finally get to see Terry Gilliam’s quest.”

A classic tale of fantasy and adventure inspired by the legendary protagonist of Miguel De Cervantes’ literary classic Don Quixote, the project is directed by highly-acclaimed filmmaker Terry Gilliam (The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys, Brazil, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and features a cast that includes Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Paterson, Silence), previous Gilliam collaborator Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean films, The Brothers Grimm, Brazil, Tomorrow Never Dies) as Don Quixote, Stellan Skarsgård (Our Kind of Traitor, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Good Will Hunting), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace, Oblivion, To the Wonder), Joana Ribeiro (Portugal Não Está à Venda, A Uma Hora Incerta), Óscar Jaenada (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Cold Light of Day), Jordi Mollà (Criminal, In the Heart of the Sea), Sergi Lopez (Pan’s Labyrinth, Dirty Pretty Things, With a Friend Like Harry) and Rossy de Palma (Julieta, The Flower of my Secret, Three Many Weddings).

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote tells the story of a deluded old man who is convinced he is Don Quixote, and who mistakes Toby, an advertising executive, for his trusty squire, Sancho Panza. The pair embark on a bizarre journey, jumping back and forth in time between the 21st and magical 17th century. Gradually, like the infamous knight himself, Toby becomes consumed by the illusory world and unable to determine his dreams from reality. The tale culminates in a phantasmagorical and emotional finale where Toby takes on the mantle of Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Gilliam penned the screenplay with Tony Grisoni, with whom he previously collaborated on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Tideland and The Brothers Grimm. Gerardo Herrero, Mariela Besuievsky, Amy Gilliam, Tornasol Films, Kinology, Recorded Picture Company, Entre Chien et Loup and Ukbar Filmes in association with Alacran Pictures, are producing with the participation of TVE, Movistar +, Eurimages and Wallimage.