While Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” was an industry-shaking phenomenon and Oscar winner that became one of the most defining blockbusters of its era, the film’s sequel…wasn’t.
Released a little over a year ago, Scott’s film was certainly epic in scale with a fun performance by Denzel Washington and not much else. The title earned $462.1 million at the global box office and received decent critical reviews, but mostly seemed to lack the magic of the first.
Russell Crowe, the star of the original film, gave an interview recently with the Aussie radio broadcaster Triple J and said it basically was let down by the film having no real moral center.
“I think the recent sequel that, you know, we don’t have to name out loud [referring to ‘Gladiator 2’], is a really unfortunate example of even the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made the first one special. It wasn’t the pomp. It wasn’t the circumstance. It wasn’t the action. It was the moral core.”
Crowe also confirmed there was a “daily fight to keep that moral core of the character with execs pushing him to participate in sex scenes.
“The amount of times they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus, it’s like you’re taking away his power. So you’re saying at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was f***ing this other girl? What are you talking about? It’s crazy.”
Scott has previously teased he has ideas for a third one and had already done some writing on it..
