Ridley Scott has directed more than a few cinematic treasures over the course of his illustrious career. From Alien and Thelma and Louise to American Gangster and The Martian, he’s produced work that’s sure to stand the test of time. Of course, one film that he receives a particular amount of praise for is his 2000 historical epic, Gladiator. Fans have long been hoping for a sequel to the Oscar-winning film though, over the years, the project has reportedly experienced its share of starts and stops. But Scott has now indicated that the film is indeed moving forward, and production could be starting sooner than you’d think.
The acclaimed filmmaker has a lot on his plate at the moment. He’s currently in the midst of promoting his latest feature, The Last Duel, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival and hits theaters next month. And he’ll soon be ushering in the release of his other 2021 flick, the Lady Gaga-led House of Gucci, which opens in November. And if that weren’t enough, he’s about to start shooting Kitabg, a Napoleon Bonaparte biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jodie Comer. But believe it or not, he’s revealed that the Gladiator sequel is next on his list of projects:
I’m already having [the next] Gladiator written now. So when I’ve done Napoleon, Gladiator will be ready to go.
Although Gladiator 2 has been discussed for some time now, the project has only seen true progress within the past few years. In March of 2017, Ridley Scott was optimistic about a follow-up and even claimed to have figured out a way to revive Russell Crowe’s Maximus for the movie. But by the fall of 2018, the sequel was reported to be in the works, with the film focusing on the character Lucius.
Ridley Scott didn’t get into specific plot details when he recently discussed the project with Empire, but it’s possible that he could still be working from that same premise. While shifting the focus to Lucius would make sense from a narrative perspective, the experience would be somewhat bittersweet due to the absence of Russell Crowe’s Maximus. Still, there’s always the chance that the filmmakers can figure out a way to organically bring him back.
The Gladiator sequel could still feature another star from the original film, though. In 2020, Connie Nielsen, who played Maximus’ former lover Lucilla, has expressed interest in reprising the role. The actress also confirmed that she has indeed heard from the producers, yet the ongoing pandemic and Ridley Scott’s schedule still have her questioning how long it’ll take for the film to begin production.
The cinematic landscape has changed in the years since the first movie’s release, but Ridley Scott’s involvement alone should be enough to keep the public interested. And with any luck, he’ll find a way to bring in Russell Crowe so that he can stop (hilariously) trolling fans.
Gladiator is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
