In a recent discussion, acclaimed director Ridley Scott revealed that Russell Crowe was extremely enthusiastic about reprising his role of General Maximus in Gladiator 2. The actor, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001 for his role in Gladiator, does not appear in the sequel, which focuses on the journey of Maximus’ estranged son, Lucius (Paul Mescal). Reflecting on Crowe’s plans for part two, Scott shed light on the actor’s ideas for bringing his character back.
Ridley Scott reveals Russell Crowe’s wish for Maximus to return in Gladiator 2
According to Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe originally wanted to return as Maximus in Gladiator 2 by somehow reviving the war veteran from the dead. However, creative differences and sub-par plotlines eventually restricted the idea from materializing.
Scott recalled Crowe’s take on the sequel in an interview with People. He highlighted that the two discussed making a Gladiator follow-up 18 years ago, stating, “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.'”
The said plan, conceptualized by Cave, involved Russell Crowe returning as Maximus in Gladiator 2 after getting reincarnated. The development occurs after Maximus strikes a deal with the Roman Gods about leading a vengeful attack against another deity in exchange for reuniting with his deceased family. While Cave disliked the idea from the get-go, he seemingly enjoyed writing it due to the unlikely possibility of the movie coming to fruition, per the BBC.
Scott proposed another idea for reviving Maximus, which also faltered in the end. Ultimately, he decided to helm the sequel without Crowe, shifting the focus towards his son with Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla. The sequel also stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn, among others, in significant roles.
Gladiator 2 recently hit theatres, 24 years after the original film, and has since received much acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
