Ridley Scott explains why he did not consult with Russell Crowe forGladiator II. Crowe played the starring role of Maximus Decimus Meridius in the originalGladiator, who famously died after defeating Commodus and restoring Rome as Marcus Aurelius intended.Gladiator II’s storywill see Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) as the protagonist this time, following Maximus' footsteps as he becomes a gladiator and tries to save Rome from its corrupt leaders.
While speaking withEmpiremagazine,Scott shared his candid reason for why he did not feel the need to consult with Crowe onGladiator II.He expressed gratitude for having worked with Crowe, along with sharing admiration for the actor’s exemplary career. Scott also touched on the challenge and solution of determining the best story to tell when developing the long-awaited sequel to the originalGladiatorfilm. Check out Scott’s comments below:
The plot, frankly, was right under our noses. I think it was so close under our noses that we thought it was too simple. I think he’s still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship. I hope we do. As long as he doesn’t start bitching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!
Gladiator II Would Never Have Worked With Russell Crowe
The Sequel Needed A Different Star After Maximus' Sacrifice
Despite Crowe being integral to the first film’s success, a sequel with him would not have worked given Maximus' fate.Any way of bringing Maximus back would cheapen the impact of the character’s sacrificeand the culmination of his satisfying arc inGladiator. There were earlier iterations of a sequel that involved Maximus waking in the underworld and encountering mythological beings before being resurrected, which could have allowed Crowe to remain at the forefront of the franchise.
This would not have worked, though, as it would undermineGladiator’s perfect endingand be a jarring switch to a mythological story. As Scott indicated, the simplest and most obvious way to continue the story was to instead focus on Lucius, and what becomes of him and Rome after the events ofGladiator. This ensures thatMaximus' legacy and his impact on Lucius can be an important part of the sequelwithout retroactively damaging the original film.
6 Biggest Characters Missing From Gladiator 2
Despite being a direct sequel, Gladiator II’s cast is missing several important surviving characters from the original 2000 film.
Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi) returning from the previous film will also helpGladiator IIfeel like a proper sequel. Unlike Maximus, their characters survived, and can still influence the story of Lucius, along with Rome’s ongoing political transformation.Gladiator IIwill feel different without Croweand might struggle to live up to the heights of its predecessor, but there was no viable sequel with the actor, and therefore, no need for Scott to consult him.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
