With Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II finally landing on the 2024 movie schedule, the director is pulling back the curtain on one of the more outlandish ideas he once toyed with to bring back Russell Crowe’s iconic Maximus Decimus Meridius. While the original film is easily one of the best movies of the 2000s, delivering a sweeping tale of revenge, honor, and sacrifice—and secured the A Beautiful Mind a stunning Oscar for Best Actor—its tragic ending left fans in no doubt: Maximus was dead. But Hollywood loves a good comeback and, apparently, so did the Master and Commander actor.
In a recent interview with People, Ridley Scott shared how he and the Maximus performer entertained a bold (and, in hindsight, pretty wild) concept for a potential sequel nearly two decades ago. According to the Martian filmmaker, the actor was determined to resurrect his fallen general, no matter how unlikely it seemed:
Russell and I had a go at it around 18 years ago. I had Nick Cave writing the script and I kept saying [to Russell], ‘But you’re dead.’ And he said, ‘I know I’m dead. And I want to come back from the dead.’
In the OG Gladiator, Maximus—a betrayed Roman general-turned-gladiator—meets his end after a dramatic and deadly showdown with Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix. His heroic demise wraps up his story in a way that feels final and fitting. However, the sequel shifts focus to Lucius, portrayed by Paul Mescal, who is enslaved and forced into the brutal life of a gladiator. Fans may remember Lucius as the young boy from the original film, played by Spencer Treat Clark.
Despite Maximus’ definitive fate, Ridley Scott once entertained a wild idea to bring the character back. The director revealed that one concept involved a metaphysical twist—a sort of “portal” that would allow Maximus to return from the dead. Reflecting on the process, the Blade Runner helmer elaborated:
The only way of doing it was to go to another battle and through a dying warrior, he comes back into the spirit of the warrior. So that’s his portal.
However, when the Alien helmer floated the idea to Russell Crowe, the actor wasn’t convinced—especially since the concept would require someone else stepping into the role of Maximus’ reincarnated form. The Pope’s Exorcist actor didn’t hold back in his response, as the director recalled:
He said, ‘So that’s no f—ing good, is it?’ It didn’t really work.
The New Zealand-born A-lister admitted during an interview with Kyle Meredith With… that watching the sequel unfold without him has been “slightly uncomfortable” since his character’s death means he has “no say in what gets done.”
Crowe or no Crowe, after 23 years of back and forth trying to get the sequel off the ground, Gladiator II is finally here, and I think a number of people would agree that a metaphysical approach is probably not what we would want in a follow-up to the original movie. Thank goodness Ridley Scott held his ground because the sequel already has Oscar buzz.
Returning cast members Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprise their original roles, while the star-studded new ensemble includes Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn. Still, the sequel will stand as Paul Mescal’s movie. The rising star, who is stepping into the massive shoes left by Russell Crowe, has said he deliberately avoided seeking advice from the original actor. Everything certainly seems to have panned out for the best but, surely, they may be some who wonder what might’ve been had that “portal” pitch played out.
If you’re itching to revisit Gladiator before diving into the long-awaited sequel, now’s the perfect time. The iconic film is available in stunning 4K UHD, and you can stream it with a Paramount+ subscription.