“Gladiator 2” is set to be one of the most significant releases of 2024, if not the entire decade. Ridley Scott returns to one of his most cherished projects, which won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 2001 Academy Awards, marking the start of its legendary status.
The sequel is scheduled for release on November 22 and takes place two decades after the original film. It focuses on Lucius, portrayed by Paul Mescal, the grandson of former Emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla. Living with his wife and child in Numidia, Lucius’s life is disrupted when Roman soldiers led by General Marcus Acacius invade, leading to his enslavement.
Inspired by the legacy of Russell Crowe‘s Maximus, Lucius vows to fight as a gladiator for his freedom. Scott is already contemplating a third installment, even before the success of this title is fully realized. Here’s what he had to say about the potential for “Gladiator 3.”
Ridley Scott teases ‘Gladiator 3’
One thing Ridley Scott has demonstrated is his willingness to expand his masterpieces. As he celebrates “Alien: Romulus” breaking IMAX records for attendance and prepares for the release of “Gladiator 2,” he has revealed that he’s already considering “Gladiator 3.” In an interview with France’s Premiere magazine, he stated:
“I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse,” Scott joked. “The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of ‘The Godfather,’ with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘ Now, Father, what do I do? ‘ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
By comparing the second “Gladiator” film to “The Godfather Part II,” Scott expresses his confidence in his latest project as a masterpiece that claims for a third part. As widely known, Coppola’s first two pictures about Vito Corleone won the Oscar for Best Picture, with the second often hailed as “the last great sequel.”
Of course, for a third installment to be greenlit, “Gladiator II” must meet high box office expectations, given its substantial budget of $250–310 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, Scott is optimistic it will surpass those figures, having referred to the production as the best work he has ever done.
