Sunday, November 14, 2021

Why Gladiator 2 Is Still Exciting Despite Ridley Scott Taking So Long

Ridley Scott has been planning a Gladiator 2 for many years now, but the long wait shouldn't wane the interest of audiences. Even with Gladiator's fairly definitive ending, Scott seems to have a plan and is ready to get back in the arena for a second round with his sword-and-sandals epic. Scott rarely seems to disappoint with his signature period epics, so there are plenty of reasons as to why the long-awaited Gladiator 2 should not be disavowed, but rather embraced.

Gladiator was a big success upon its initial release in the year 2000. The film was a box office hit, grossing just over $460 million worldwide, and garnered strong praise from both critics and audiences alike. Ridley Scott's epic also went on to be nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning 5 of them including Best Actor for star Russell Crowe, as well as Best Picture. The film has since become known as one of Scott's best works, so it's no wonder why the acclaimed director would want to revisit it. There have been many attempts to get a Gladiator sequel off the ground over the last two decades, including an infamously panned Gladiator 2 script that even Russell Crowe had some less than kind words for. None of these attempts have seemed to pan out, however, leaving most audiences neutral on the idea of a sequel to the epic. But with the news that Scott is ready to make his definitive Gladiator sequel, there's a lot to get excited over.

Related: Gladiator: Why Maximus Was Called The Spaniard

First of all, Ridley Scott is no stranger to producing an epic period piece. Whether it be the first Gladiator film, Kingdom of Heaven, or even Robin Hood, Scott knows his way around the genre, and with his most recent medieval epic, The Last Duel, he has once more proven that he is still more than capable of directing a stunning epic. Also with The Last Duel, Scott has shown that he can still draw in big names to his projects (with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Adam Driver just being a few of the stars attached to the film), which makes the potential return of Russell Crowe as Maximus a strong possibility, despite his character's fate at the end of Gladiator, as the sequel would be amiss to not include at least a flashback scene showing the original's hero.

This also proposes another exciting fact about a Gladiator sequel; Ridley Scott can take the story wherever he wants. With a time period so broad and rich in history and potential characters to explore, Scott can really take this story anywhere, whether it be a continuation for Russell Crowe's hero Maximus, a prequel to the first film, or even a new story with an entirely new cast of characters. Anything is possible with a Gladiator sequel, which in itself is an exciting fact.

However, there are some ideas as to where the sequel will lead, as it's said that the current draft of the script takes place 20 years after the first film and will follow a now-grown Lucius. This is a logical idea, as it allows audiences to understand the timeline of the franchise without having had to rewatch the first film recently - and still allows for a wide range of possibilities in terms of the plot. But wherever it's decided to take the story, with Gladiator 2, Ridley Scott will have his chance to prove that (in more ways than one) a true legend never dies, and a legacy is forever.

Next: Everything We Know About Gladiator 2



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