Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator 2” is slowly taking shape and the casting list is growing: in addition to Paul Mescal, who will star in Ridley Scott’s historical actor, Derek Jacobi (“Murder on the Orient Express”) and Denzel Washington (“The Equalizer “) in the sequel to the 2000 mega hit. However, one name is missing from the cast list: Russell Crowe.
While it makes sense that the Oscar winner won’t appear again in Part 2 – fans of the original film know why – It seems like Crowe has mixed feelings about the development and production of a second part.
I envy the experience
As part of a Job interviews about the horror film “The Pope’s Exorcist,” the star was also asked about “Gladiator 2.” Here’s how Russell Crowe talked about his relationship with the film and his thoughts on the sequel:
“All I feel is a little jealousy […]. I was considerably younger at the time and it was a great experience in my life. It was something that changed my life. It’s changed the way people see me and what I do for a living, and I’ve been lucky to be involved in a lot of big films, but this film has had an incredible impact. It’s now 2023 and we shot the movie in 1999. And yet I guarantee you that ‘Gladiator’ will be on prime time television somewhere in the world tonight. And you don’t get that kind of longevity with every film. Of course he has a special place in my heart.”
Then “Gladiator 2” begins.
Russell Crowe had previously announced that he would not be part of the sequel, but was in talks with director Ridley Scott about the film’s plot. The statements also don’t suggest that the ‘Gladiator’ star is against the sequel, Rather, it seems like Crowe is a little wistfulespecially since the first part was such an important part of his own career.
‘Gladiator 2’ is expected to premiere in US cinemas on November 22, 2024. This week, ‘Napoleon’, another historical epic from Ridley Scott, hits screens!