Gladiator IIstar Paul Mescal reveals that camera operators would dress up as Roman soldiers due to Ridley Scott’s filming strategy. Coming 24 years after the beloved originalGladiator, Scott’s sequel follows Mescal’s Lucius as he becomes a hero of the Colosseum.Gladiator 2reviewswere generally positive from critics, with praise aimed at the movie’s action sequences and epic scope, and it’s now been revealed that Scott used an abundance of cameras to capture it all.
DuringTHR’s Actor Roundtable, Mescal speaks about Scott’s filming strategy onGladiator 2, recalling just how many cameras the director used for different scenes. Though a more intimate scene may use five or six, the Lucius actor reveals thatScott would have a dozen cameras going for more involved fight sequences. Getting this many cameras into a shot required some cleverness, and Mescal recalls camera operators wearing Roman soldier gear to blend in. Check out Mescal’s comments below:
In the scenes in the cell, he would get as many cameras in there as possible — maybe he’d get to five, trying to cram a sixth in the door. Whereas when you’re shooting the battle scenes, it’s 12 […] Twelve cameras, easy. Camera operators dressed up in costume like Roman soldiers […] So you save time with the amount of takes that you’re going to do because the coverage is there. But you also gain a sense of freedom because continuity goes out the window.
What Scott’s Gladiator 2 Filming Technique Means For Scott’s Career
Scott is currently 87 years oldand showing no signs of slowing down. He continues to pump out new films, withThe Last DuelandHouse of Gucciarriving in 2021 andNapoleonarriving in 2023. His method of using a dozen cameras to film an action scene allows him to make quite involved, epic movies fairly quickly.
Every Ridley Scott Sequel & Prequel, Ranked Worst To Best
Ridley Scott’s three direct follow-ups to his previous films have ranged from impressive sequels to more tonally disjointed follow-ups.
Gladiator 2cinematographerJohn Mathieson recently criticized Scott’s filming processas “really lazy,” calling the director “quiteimpatient” for wanting to capture scenes as quickly as possible. He also took aim at Scott’s use of CGI, which wasn’t just used to enhanceGladiator 2’s Roman setting or add Colosseum opponents like a rhino and baboons, but to remove cameras, equipment, and crew members that ended up in shots from one of the dozen cameras being used.
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Though Mathieson may not be a fan of this multiple-camera technique, especially because it makes lighting a scene a major challenge, it doesn’t appear Scott will be changing his methods moving forward.Scott has already expressed interest in making a third film that continues Lucius' storyafter theGladiator 2ending, and he has a variety of projects at various stages of development, including a TV series, a Western, and potentially another collaboration with Mescal in the form of a post-apocalyptic thriller.
Has Gladiator 2 Been A Success?
Breaking Down The Movie’s Box Office Performance
Gladiator 2features a massive reported budget of just under $250 million, meaning it could be looking at a break-even point of between $500 million and $625 million using the standard Hollywood rule of thumb. Scott’s sequel got off to a relatively strong start at the box office, opening to $55 million.Gladiator 2’s worldwide box officetotal sits at $399 million as of writing, comprising $146 million domestic and $252 million from overseas markets.
There have been conflicting reports aboutGladiator 2’s budget, meaning it could be lower than $250 million. This would adjust the film’s success threshold.
ConsideringGladiator 2hit theaters on November 22, its theatrical run is now winding down. Even though it’s certain to enjoy a boost over the Christmas holidays as more people look for things to do while off of work,the sequel seems unlikely to become anything more than a very modest successin the long run. It’s entirely possible thatGladiator 2will lose money, raising questions about the future of the franchise.
If You Thought Gladiator 2 Was Historically Inaccurate, Just Wait Until Gladiator 3
Gladiator 3 is unlikely to be any more historically accurate than Gladiator 2, with Lucius set up to fight a more political battle for Rome’s future.
As of writing, there has been no official confirmation thatGladiator 3will be moving forward. Though Scott is seemingly confident the film is happening, saying at a recent press conference (viaMama’s Geeky) that “there’s certainly going to be a Gladiator 3,” the sequel’s box office figures don’t paint another film as a sure thing. There have been rumors thatGladiator 3could be targeting a 2026 filming start date, but this information is unsubstantiated and not backed up by reputable sources.
Our Take On Scott’s Gladiator 2 Filming Technique
How Gladiator 3 Can Be An Improvement
The response toGladiator 2has been somewhat lukewarm compared to that of the original starring Russell Crowe, but it wasn’t Scott’s filming technique that was arguably the sequel’s biggest problem.The movie’s faults can probably be more fairly attributed to the script, which lacks the emotional highs and lows of Maximus' story. It’s for this reason thatGladiator 2seems unlikely to enjoy the same success during awards season as the original did.
Gladiatorwas nominated for 12 Oscars and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
WithGladiator 3potentially on the way, Scott’s filming technique seems here to stay. Since using multiple cameras allows Scott to make projects quickly and on or under budget, it’s evidently one that the studios won’t be discouraging, even if it doesn’t sit well with all of his creative partners. It remains to be seen whether aGladiator 2follow-up is on the way, but hopefully Lucius' story ends up being more compelling in whatever comes next.
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.
