Military

‘Gladiator’ Sequel Is Officially Happening, Director Ridley Scott Says

October 13, 2021Mac Caltrider
gladiator

Despite its satisfying conclusion, Gladiator is apparently getting a sequel. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Gladiator is officially getting a sequel. More than two decades have passed since Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandal epic won the Academy Award for best picture. It’s still unclear how the new story will tie in to the original film.


“I’m already having [the next] Gladiator written now,” Scott told Empire. “So when I’ve done Napoleon, Gladiator will be ready to go.”


Despite the film’s taking home five Oscar wins and earning $461 million at the box office, it comes as a bit of a surprise that Gladiator would get a sequel. The two main characters — Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, and Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix — both die before the end credits roll. Scott did not elaborate regarding who is writing the script, but one would hope the writer isn’t Nick Cave.


gladiator
Joaquin Phoenix as Emperor Commodus in Gladiator. Screenshot from YouTube.

In 2004, Cave revealed a notoriously strange script for a Gladiator sequel. Cave’s idea involved time travel, the Vietnam War, and no gladiators. Crowe’s response after reading the proposal was simply, “Don’t like it, mate.”


Although Scott achieved major success with science fiction in Alien and Blade Runner, it’s likely the new script will keep Gladiator 2 in the peplum genre. Scott is 83 now, but he does not seem to be slowing down. His recent work includes the period drama The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver, as well as Kitbag, a Napoleon biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix.


No actors are officially attached to the film, and no projected timeline for filming has been released.


Read Next: ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Announces Timeline for Feature-Film Finale



Mac Caltrider
Mac Caltrider

Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved