Ridley Scott's long-awaited Gladiator sequel has just hit the US theatres, but the veteran director is already hard at work on a third instalment. Scott confirmed ahead of Gladiator II's release that a third part was very much happening. He has now re-confirmed it, saying the threequel is in the works.
( Also read: Gladiator II review: Ridley Scott delivers exciting yet unmemorable spectacle ) There will certainly be a Gladiator III Gladiator II stars Irish actor Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus from the multiple Oscar-winning original. The film has drawn positive reviews and has already hauled in a muscular $87 million at the global box office since opening in several countries last week. “Given the performance in the rest of the world that we've seen yesterday, there's certainly going to be a Gladiator III,” said Scott, in Los Angeles on Monday for the movie's glitzy US premiere.
“Because it also becomes financial, and you'd be insane not to consider a third version,” said the British director of seminal films such as Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise. Scott, a famously prolific filmmaker who is still directing roughly a film per year at the age of 86, added that the plot of Gladiator II was also “planned to leave it wide open to a sequel.” It will be more political Mescal -- whose character battles bloodthirsty baboons, rhinos and sharks in addition to humans in Gladiator II -- also expressed excitement about returning for another film.
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