Ridley Scott is the king of director’s cuts. Some of his films have been completely transformed with alternate cuts (most notably Kingdom of Heaven), and while speaking with THR earlier this month, Scott said he’s already considering an extended cut of Gladiator II.
Gladiator II clocks in at 2 hours 28 minutes, but Scott said his first cut of the sequel was a whopping 3 hours 40 minutes. “It ended around 3:40. I know that’s unrealistic. I think with the titles it’s about 2:33, so the film itself is about 2:20. I wanted to put the opening titles at the beginning, not at the end. But they ran two-and-a-half minutes — which is a long time to look at a black screen,” Scott said. “So I called up [animator Italian artist Gianluigi Toccafondo] who did my [Scott Free vanity card animation] 20 or 30 years ago and asked, “Are you still alive and want to do this?” I had him animate the elements from Gladiator. So now you’re ‘being entertained’ before [the action starts].”
When asked if an extended cut of Gladiator II could be released at some point, Scott said, “Yeah, later,” but added that he would rather get moving on Gladiator III first. Whether another sequel happens will likely depend on how well Gladiator II performs at the box office. The film is already off to a good start, although Wicked will likely take the number one spot. It doesn’t sound like the Gladiator II extended cut is a big priority for Scott, but I’d certainly be down to see more.
“From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome,” reads the official Gladiator II synopsis. “Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Our own Chris Bumbray recently reviewed Gladiator II, and while he admits that it isn’t the instant classic the original was, “it’s nonetheless a highly entertaining, faithful sequel, jam-packed with action and spectacle. There hasn’t been a lavish, action-driven historical drama done on this scale in some time, with Scott, despite his advancing age, as energetic and kinetic a director as ever.” You can check out the rest of Bumbray’s review right here and be sure to let us know what you think of the film as well.