In a September 2014 interview with '' Rolling Stone '' , Gilliam said that making '' Don Quixote '' next " ... is my plan , but plans have nothing to do with reality . We shall see what happens . I really ca n't say anything at the moment , because there 's been a little hiccup — once again . The Sisyphean rock that keeps rolling back . Just as we almost get to the top of the mountain ... We 'll see what happens . I 'm not a happy camper at the moment . " When asked why he continues to attempt making the film , Gilliam said , " Oh , I do n't know , pigheadedness , stupid – I really do n't know anymore . I 'm beginning to actually think , ' If it does n't work this time , I 'm gon na dump it . ' I 've wasted far too much of my life doing it . If you 're going to do Quixote , you have to become as mad as Quixote . ... I 've wasted how many years ? Fifteen ? Yeah , there 's a certain point . It 's kind of the determination to be crazy and unreasonable . Every intelligent person around me says , ' Walk away from it . ' But those are reasonable people . " In November 2014 , Jack O'Connell was cast as Grisoni . Commenting on the changes on the script compared to the original version , Gilliam stated , " It all takes place now , it 's contemporary . It 's more about how movies can damage people . " On 9 June 2015 , Gilliam obtained a deal with Amazon Studios to release the film theatrically , followed by a streaming Amazon début . Gilliam said of the deal : " I 'm intrigued by their way of doing it . They go into the cinemas first and then a month or two afterwards they go into streaming . And I think that 's good because you get a chance to see it on the big screen , and yet I know that more people have seen my films on DVD than they have in the cinemas and that 's the reality of life now . " In September 2015 , the film 's production was suspended once again , due to Hurt being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly before filming . He eventually died from his cancer on 25 January 2017 . Gilliam paid homage to him on Facebook , stating , " Sadly , the earthly marvel that was John Hurt has departed us . Two years ago , he and I were off to make '' The Man Who Killed Don Quixote '' when he was diagnosed with a particularly evil brand of cancer . Despite the terrible prognosis he was determined to carry on working . And he did . Right to the final curtain . In the end , cancer was the windmill that he could n't defeat . John was not just a phenomenal actor , but a wickedly wonderful human being . I felt honoured to be a friend . " That same year , original Quixote portrayer Jean Rochefort also passed away . Gilliam also paid homage to him : " When I saw him a couple of years ago he seemed to be growing younger , not older . I imagined that , like Quixote , he was capable of living forever . That he should be gone is unbelievably sad . Farewell , Jean . " At the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2016 , Gilliam , in need of a minimum 16 million euros for the budget in order to make the film , was introduced to Portuguese producer Paulo Branco , who promised that he would obtain the needed budget by September , a few weeks before they would start the eleven weeks-long shoot
66th Berlin International Film Festival
66th Berlin International Film Festival
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote