Terry Gilliam has assured fans that he is “restored and well again” after the filmmaker reportedly suffered a minor stroke ahead of the premiere of his stress- and disaster-plagued movie The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.

The 77 year old former Monty Python illustrator thanked fans for their support, following an attempt by the film’s producer Paulo Branco to block the scheduled premiere of the much-anticipated film at Cannes Film Festival later this month, in a debate over who owns the rights to it. Fortunately, a French court blocked Branco’s application, and the screening is going ahead as planned.

Legendarily, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is one of the most cursed films in movie history, with a string of financial, professional and personnel catastrophes continually obstructing its realisation ever since Gilliam first began work on it – way back in 1989, incredibly.

Terry GilliamTerry Gilliam has recovered from a minor stroke

“After days of rest and prayers to the gods I am restored and well again,” the director wrote on Twitter on Wednesday night (May 9th). “So is The Man Who Killed Don Quixote! We are legally victorious! We will go to the ball, dressed as the closing film at Festival de Cannes! May 19. Thanks for all your support. #QuixoteVive.”

More: Cannes Film Festival determined to premiere Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’

Gilliam eventually began shooting for the film, after gaining financing after many years, in 2000 with Johnny Depp as the star. However, flooding on set and issues with insurance meant the production shut down, and seven more attempts were made to get it off the ground once again, with the cast at various points including the likes of Jean Rochefort, Ewan McGregor, John Hurt and Robert DuVall.

The story centres on a deluded, elderly man who is convinced he is Don Quixote, the character from Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th century novel, and recruits an advertising executive named Toby, believing him to be Sancho Panza. The finished version features Star Wars actor Adam Driver as Toby and Jonathan Pryce in the lead.

“For more than 20 years this film was almost buried by various obstacles and many have said on various occasions that there was a curse on this movie,” Gilliam’s lawyer, Benjamin Sarfaty, said after the court ruling in the week. “Well today this curse is broken thanks to the justice.”

More: Terry Gilliam credits Adam Driver with helping get ‘Don Quixote’ movie finally off the ground [archive]