Sir Ridley Scott is to be honoured with a Bafta Fellowship at this year’s awards ceremony.
The film-maker, 80, said it was “very gratifying” to be recognised with the accolade, which is awarded annually to an individual for “outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television”.
Sir Ridley – whose films include Alien, Gladiator and Blade Runner – said: “It is a privilege to have been able to make a career for myself in this industry and to be honoured for my body of work is indeed very gratifying.”
The director’s career has spanned more than 40 years and he has been at the helm of more than 25 feature films.
We're thrilled to announce that legendary director Sir Ridley Scott will receive the BAFTA Fellowship at our Film Awards on Sunday 18 February! https://t.co/EseCWHwSbp #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/GAXwbxrWXK
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) January 31, 2018
His latest was All The Money In The World, a drama about the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III.
Sir Ridley had to reshoot scenes with Christopher Plummer replacing Kevin Spacey weeks ahead of the film’s release, after allegations of sexual assault were made against the House Of Cards actor.
Sir Ridley told the Press Association earlier this year that, following the allegations against Spacey, he “looked towards the solution of the problem” and suggested that he followed the lead of Netflix, which removed Spacey from House Of Cards rather than cancelling the show.
He said: “I thought the solution is we’ll get trampled, we won’t even run, because already Netflix are talking about removing the show.
“And then instead of that, they removed him.”
The Bafta awards take place on February 18 and the following day the director will discus his craft and career at a special A Life In Pictures event at the organisation’s headquarters in London.
Bafta’s chief executive, Amanda Berry, said: “Ridley Scott is a visionary director, one of the great British film-makers whose work has made an indelible mark on the history of cinema.
“His passion and unrelenting pursuit of excellence have provided cinema-goers with a tantalising range of films, including Alien, Gladiator, Thelma And Louise and Blade Runner.
“Forty years since his directorial debut, his films continue to cross the boundaries of style and genre, engaging audiences and inspiring the next generation of film talent.”
Sir Ridley follows in the footsteps of previous recipients including Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren and Sidney Poitier.
Mel Brooks received the fellowship at last year’s awards.
The EE British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday February 18 at the Royal Albert Hall.