Ridley Scott is already planning ‘Gladiator 3’
As he prepares to release his hotly anticipated sequel Gladiator 2 in November, veteran director Ridley Scott has revealed that he’s “already toying with the idea of” a third instalment in the franchise.
Gladiator 2 has big boots to fill, as it serves as the sequel to the beloved, Oscar-winning 2000 epic Gladiator, the film that solidified Russell Crowe’s status as a leading man in Hollywood. The follow-up, arriving 24 years later, is directed and co-produced by Scott, who also helmed the original. This latest instalment in the franchise was written by David Scarpa, based on a story developed by him and Peter Craig.
The upcoming film boasts a star-studded cast featuring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn.
As the original Gladiator is such a cherished cinematic moment and is regarded as one of Scott’s ultimate efforts, many fans are weary that it might blemish its legacy, particularly given that the director has produced a series of flops over the past two decades.
However, Gladiator 2 does have a connection to the original and isn’t some isolated new addition to the franchise, as Hollywood has tended with other reboots in recent times. In addition to Jacobi and Nielsen reprising their roles, it follows the story of Lucius, the son of Nielsen’s Lucilla, who was a child in the first film and is now the former heir to the Roman Empire. Like Maximus Decimus Meridius, he is thrust into the arena and must fight his way out.
After recently declaring that Gladiator 2 is “the best thing I’ve ever made”, Scott has now revealed that he is “already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3“. The 86-year-old filmmaker has told Premiere magazine that he thinks the story of his new film has opened itself up for a follow-up.
“With that, I’m already toying with the idea of ’Gladiator 3′. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse,” he said. “The ending of ‘Gladiator II’ is reminiscent of ‘The Godfather’, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
In other Gladiator 2 news, Denzel Washington recently claimed there are “very few films left” for him to make that he’s interested in. He maintained that he needs to be inspired by a filmmaker to sign on to a project, and said he was “tremendously inspired” by Scott for the Roman epic.
Gladiator 2 is set for a UK theatrical release on November 15th, and arrives on November 22nd in the US.
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