'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' Trailer: Terry Gilliam's Passion Project Is Finally Coming To Theaters (For One Night Only) [Updated]
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Update: Check out the bottom of the article for more information about the movie's release.
For years, cinephiles were convinced they'd never have the opportunity to see director Terry Gilliam's long-awaited film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which had earned a reputation for being cursed after an aborted production effort in the early 2000s that was chronicled in the documentary Lost in La Mancha. Against all odds, Gilliam managed to actually finish the film, but problems with finding a distributor again left the movie's future uncertain.
Now we know the film is definitely coming to theaters in 2019 – but since this is Don Quixote we're talking about, there's a slight hitch. The movie will indeed be in theaters, but only for a "one night theatrical event," courtesy of Screen Media Ventures and Fathom Events. Get the details and check out a new trailer for the movie below.
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Trailer
If you've been looking forward to this movie since its earliest days, you'll finally be able to see it on April 10, 2019. The movie, which stars Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, will play in over 700 theaters across the United States and in "select Canadian locations" as well, but only for that one night.
"It took more than two and a half decades to make and moviegoers have just one chance to experience this film in all its glory on the big screen," said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt. "We are thrilled to provide audiences the opportunity to experience this highly anticipated content in the best way possible, larger-than-life and alongside fellow fans."
/Film's Jacob Hall saw the film at last year's South By Southwest Film Festival, and said it touches on many of the same themes Gilliam has explored throughout his career and in many ways feels like a final statement from the veteran director. Here's an excerpt:
Like all Terry Gilliam movies, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote threatens to derail at any given moment and its sheer number of ideas and gags feel like they're too much for a single movie (or even a single scene in some cases). But in Driver and Pryce, Gilliam has found an anchor – two actors who understand the exact tone the filmmaker is shooting for and commit wholeheartedly. It's incredible to see Pryce teaming up with Gilliam again so long after Brazil and the veteran actor chews into his role with gusto. However, the movie asks the most of Driver and he delivers the single best performance in a Gilliam movie since Robin Williams in The Fisher King. Manic and hilarious and ultimately soulful, his journey from jaded corporate hack to dreamer is quintessential Gilliam and Driver finds a way to make it fresh.
And here's the film's official description:
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is the story of Toby (Driver), a cynical advertising director, who finds himself trapped in the outrageous delusions of an old Spanish shoe-maker (Pryce) 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?
There's no word yet about where or when we'll be able to see this movie after this one night theatrical event. Stay tuned, because it seems like the long-brewing saga of this movie may not be finished quite yet.
Update: After we published this article, a /Film reader pointed out that The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is currently available on Blu-ray in Germany. As of this writing, there is still no word about a U.S. home video release or a wider theatrical run.