Ridley Scott's 2000 film GLADIATOR became a bit of a defining role for its star, Russell Crowe. The film earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor and it can be argued that he starred in the last critically-acclaimed swords-and-sandals epic to hit the big screen. Since the release of the film, the team behind the project has spoken about making a sequel but Crowe remains skeptical of the possibility that the followup will ever actually happen.
Crowe has been making the rounds promoting his new film UNHINGED and during a promotional chat with "ScreenRant", the subject of a GLADIATOR sequel was brought up and Crowe stated that if sequel talks have been happening, he hasn't been a part of them.
"If they're having conversations about that, those conversations haven't included me. I'm not sure what they have in mind. At all…Can I just say, with a pinch of salt, they have genuinely been having the same conversations since the year 2000."
20 years is a long time for a project to be stuck in limbo, especially considering how successful GLADIATOR was at the time of its release. Complicating things is the fact that the titular gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Crowe, (WARNING! 20-YEAR-OLD SPOILER ALERT INCOMING) died at the end of the first film. Crowe does go on to say that the studio's idea for getting around that problem if a sequel was to be made, was to take some inspiration from the Bible.
"I haven't talked to producer Doug Wick in a long, long time. Last time I talked to Doug, he said he had this great idea where Maximus gets carried from the stadium and they pull back this big rock and he gets put into this cave and then the rock closes over and he's anointed with oils. And then the rock opens up and he comes out. And I said, "Doug, I don't think we have the rights to that story." But that was a long, long time ago and I don't think he appreciated my sense of humor at the time."
GLADIATOR succeeded because of the solid direction of Ridley Scott and a truly talented cast led by Crowe with capable support from Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris, and Djimon Hounsou. One could argue that a lot of the film's success rested on Crowe since he was the face that dominated most of the marketing as the lead and Scott seems to think Crowe is essential to a sequel if one gets made. He has expressed before that he was determined to continue with the tale of Crowe's character in the next film.
"I know how to bring him back. I was having this talk with the studio, but he's dead. But there is a way of bringing him back. Whether it will happen I don't know. Gladiator was 2000, so Russell's changed a little bit. He's doing something right now but I'm trying to get him back down here."
In GLADIATOR, a former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. The film was a hit with critics and moviegoers, winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and grossing $457 million at the worldwide box office. I personally think it's a bit too late for a sequel but that really hasn't stopped Hollywood before.
Do YOU think a sequel to GLADIATOR should be made?