Ridley Scott denies same-sex kiss was cut from ‘Gladiator II’
Following the highly anticipated movie Gladiator II finally arriving in theatres, director Ridley Scott shut down a claim that Denzel Washington made in a recent interview at the Los Angeles premiere on November 18th.
Washington stars in the Gladiator sequel as Macrinus, a former slave who becomes a mentor to Lucius, played by Paul Mescal. He helps the now-adult son of Maximus to train to become a ruthless gladiator after his home is attacked by an army sent by Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius.
In an interview with Gayety, Washington revealed that a kiss scene between him and another male character was cut from the movie, joking that “they got chicken.”
He explained, “I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet,” adding that he “killed him about five minutes later” and described it as “the kiss of death.”
Mescal also revealed that a scene in which he kissed Pascal’s forehead was cut from the film, too, leaving fans wondering why Scott removed two moments from the film that hinted at homosexuality. Yet, at the Los Angeles premiere, Scott set the record straight, telling Variety, “No, that’s bullshit. It was a senator. They never did. They acted the moment and (it) didn’t happen.”
Since Washington claimed the kiss scene was removed from the movie, he has explained to the publication that his words have been slightly misinterpreted and blown out of proportion. “They’re making more of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him.” He said, “It really is much ado about nothing.”
The reception to Gladiator II
Since it was announced that a sequel to the Oscar-winning classic would be made, many have been apprehensive about the film’s release, but so far, the movie has been receiving plenty of positive reviews. While the general consensus appears to be that the original reigns supreme, it seems as though Gladiator II is going down well with fans.
In a three-and-a-half-star review, Far Out wrote that while “it shamelessly tries to recreate the first film and lingers far too long on loving shots of Maximus’s crypt and breastplate,” the movie is “also a dazzling spectacle that pulls all the right strings. At nearly two-and-a-half hours, it’s the kind of no-holds-barred crowd-pleaser that they just don’t make anymore, a classic summer blockbuster that puts the chilly Oscar-bait of the latter-year movie season to shame.”
Furthermore, during its opening weekend, Gladiator II took $87million at the global box office, the largest sum of Scott’s career.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.