Ridley Scott already has ideas forGladiator 3, comparing the potential sequel toThe Godfather. The director’s Best Picture-winning film from 2000 followed Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a Roman General who is sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator to exact revenge against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family. Over two decades later,Scott returned to directGladiator 2, which releases on November 22 and follows Paul Mescal as Lucius (played by Spencer Treat Clark in the original movie) who is similarly sold into slavery and fights as a gladiator.
Now, ahead of the sequel’s release, the director already has ideas for a third film. Talking to the French film magazinePremiere,Ridley Scott revealed that he is “toying” with the idea ofGladiator 3, and teased plot details for the potential sequel with comparisons toThe Godfather. Read his full comments below:
I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse… 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.
What Ridley Scott’s Comments Mean For Gladiator 3
When Will It Happen & What Will It Be About?
Ridley Scott’s comments reveal that, ahead of the sequel’s release, he is already consideringGladiator 3. However,it’s unclear just how serious he is about a potential threequel, and whether it will be a priority for him over other projects. Even at 86 years old, Ridley Scott remains one of the most prolific filmmakers working today. He constantly has a plethora of projects in various stages of development and pre-production, which right now includes aBees Gees biopic,Queen & Country,Wraiths of the Broken Land, and more.
Gladiator 2 Cast & Character Guide
The Gladiator sequel boasts a cast of characters both old and new, with actors from Stranger Things and The Mandalorian joining the epic story.
The director’s comments also provide a good idea about what apotentialGladiator 3would be about. At the beginning ofGladiator 2, Lucius has renounced his noble privileges and is living with his wife and child in Numidia, though Ridley Scott’s comments suggest he could become emperor by the movie’s end, similar to Michael Corleone at the end ofThe Godfather,Gladiator 3could follow Lucius in the powerful position he never wanted. Interestingly, Scott’s comments seem to suggest that Lucius will survive the events ofGladiator 2, unlike Maximus in the original movie.
Our Take On Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 3 Ideas
Will They Actually Happen?
While Ridley Scott already has some interesting ideas forGladiator 3, it will take much more to make them a reality. It took the director 24 years to makeGladiator 2and while a potential threequel could be fast-tracked, making a historical epic is still no easy feat. It’s also an unfortunate reality that the threequel’s chances will likely depend onGladiator 2’s box officeperformance which, with a big budget of $250-310 million, might struggle mightily to make a profit. It’s difficult to fault the filmmaker’s ambition, but whetherGladiator 3comes to fruition remains to be seen.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
