Ridley Scott photographed in New York City. (Image courtesy: AFP)
Filmmaker Ridley Scott said that he knew about water on Mars much before NASA made the news public that liquid water exists on the surface of the red planet, reported
Entertainment Weekly.
Mr Scott, 77, worked closely with the space agency on the making of his upcoming film
The Martian, which is based on Andy Weir's hard-sci-fi novel about an American astronaut (played by Matt Damon) who is stranded on Mars and uses his scientific knowledge to survive. (Also Read:
Dear Matt Damon, Tom Hanks is Jealous You Got to Mars First)
According to the filmmaker, the topic of water on Mars came up during his discussions with the agency.
"I knew that months ago. When I first talked to NASA, we got into all kinds of stuff and I said, 'So I know you've got down there (these) massive glaciers.' And he said, 'Yeah, that the massive white thing (on the surface of Mars) that gets covered with dust, we think that's ice.' And I said, 'Wow! Does that mean there was an ocean?' Are we right now what Mars was 750 million years ago?' And they went, 'Uh, good question.' So they want to go up there and find out," he said. (Also Read:
Matt Damon, Father of Four, 'Could Use Some Time Alone on Mars' )
But Mr Scott specified that he only learned about Martian water after the film went into production, sparing him from having to adjust the plot.
"He (Matt Damon's character) would've found the edge of a glacier, definitely. It would be fascinating. But then I would've lost a great sequence. He has to make water, and the steaming device, and put up the plastic tents, which creates the humidity, which grows the plants, which is the most basic form of irrigation," he said.