Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel isn’t out in cinemas yet, but already the filmmaker says he’s considering another one. When it comes to interviews, Scott is famously pretty blunt with his opinions. He also talks up things that PR departments probably wish he wouldn’t, such as his teasing the “Napoleon” director’s cut well before the theatrical cut was released.
With the “Gladiator II” budget rumored to have ballooned to $310 million, Paramount Pictures obviously wants people’s attention focused on the new movie and not any potential extended edition of it or other possible follow-ups down the line. In a new interview with though, Scott says he’s already go an idea for a third movie, one which would serve as a ‘trilogy capper’. He then spoke about his plans: “I’m already playing with the idea of ‘Gladiator III’.
No, seriously! I lit the fuse...
The ending of ‘Gladiator II’ evokes that of ‘The Godfather,’ with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want and wondering, ‘And now, Father, What am I doing?’ So, the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.” That sounds like Paul Mescal’s Lucius Verus won’t be meeting the same fate as Russell Crowe’s Maximus in the original. Following that news up with Mescal himself, he says the filmmaker has already approached him about it: “Yes, Ridley spoke to me about it, but only yesterday!.
So I’m waiting to see what will happen, but it interests me, of course. But we must not rush anything: the story must hold together.” In order for such a project though, “Gladiator II” will need to be a big hit at the box office – the kind of film that has to do at least $750 million in order to hit profit.
Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington co-star in “Gladiator II” which hits theaters on November 15th..
