3 Nov – Nearly two decades since "Gladiator" stormed the big screen and nabbed various accolades including five Oscars, director Ridley Scott has finally decided to move forward with a sequel. Scott will be back to direct, Deadline is reporting, with "Top Gun: Maverick" writer Peter Craig set to pen the script.
While the 2000 movie followed Russell Crowe in his Oscar-winning performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius, the sequel is said to focus on Lucius, the son of Lucilla, Maximus' former lover who was played by Connie Nielsen in the first movie. There is no word yet on who will be starring in the sequel, whether the cast will consist of newcomers or be just as star-studded as the original, which also featured Joaquin Phoenix and Djimon Hounsou.
The director's Scott Free banner will be producing with Paramount Pictures developing the project this time around instead of DreamWorks while Universal, who distributed the first movie, still has the option to co-finance. No timeline has been set for production to begin since Scott currently has his plates full. He will be directing TNT's TV series "Raised By Wolves", a movie on photojournalist Lyndsey Addario starring Scarlett Johansson as the lead, and a live-action "Merlin" for Disney. Hopefully, the "Gladiator" sequel will be better-received than Scott's 2014 "Exodus: Gods and Kings", which did not meet positive receptions. The sequel will have big shoes to fill since the first movie won 48 awards out of its 119 nominations at various award ceremonies, which include the 73rd Academy Awards, the 58th Golden Globe Awards and the 54th British Academy Film Awards.