No, Terry Gilliam Isn’t Dead (He’s Only Resting) Spinoff Online

The publication later tweeted: ‘CORRECTION: Variety incorrectly published an article stating that director Terry Gilliam passed away.

Shocked fans immediately began tweeting tributes for the 74-year-old, but Variety soon took the piece down and clarified that he was indeed alive and well.

Bylined Dave McNary, Film Reporter, the report was evidently a pre-prepared obituary, released by mistake, possibly in response to an earlier hoax Facebook page announcing Gilliam’s demise.

Though Gilliam is perhaps best known for his role in Monty Python, he went on to have a successful career in show business as an actor, writer, director and animator.

The error provoked plenty of Twitter hilarity, much of it on a predictable “dead parrot sketch” theme.

Another said “how dare you “kill off” Terry Gilliam“.

The death-notice misfire brings to mind one of the most famous catchphrases from the 1975 movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” – “I’m not dead yet”, from a scene that featured two of Gilliam’s troupe buddies, Eric Idle and John Cleese.

Far from being dead, Terry, who turns 75 in a few weeks, is actually now working on his long awaited Don Quixote after securing a distribution deal with Amazon.