Ridley Scott confirms Gladiator III is in progress as Gladiator II, starring Paul Mescal, debuts Friday after earning $87 million globally last week. Denzel Washington’s role already sparks Oscar buzz, hinting at a politically charged sequel.
Ridley Scott's highly anticipated Gladiator sequel has yet to debut in US theaters, but the veteran director is already deep into planning a third installment. Gladiator II, set to hit North American cinemas this Friday, stars Irish actor Paul Mescal (Normal People) as Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus from the multiple Oscar-winning original. A bloody, blockbuster epic filled with revenge, treachery, and, of course, gladiators, the film has garnered positive reviews and already raked in an impressive $87 million at the global box office after opening in several countries last week.
"Given the performance in the rest of the world that we've seen yesterday, there's certainly going to be a Gladiator III," Scott said during the movie's glitzy US premiere in Los Angeles on Monday. "It also becomes financial, and you'd be insane not to consider a third version," added the British director, known for iconic films like Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise.
The plot of Gladiator II was purposefully "planned to leave it wide open to a sequel," said Scott, who continues to direct roughly one film per year at the age of 86.
The sequel begins with Lucius—exiled by his mother to escape certain death in Rome—fighting unsuccessfully to defend his adopted North African city from an onslaught of seemingly unstoppable Roman soldiers. Captured as a prisoner of war, he is brought back to the imperial capital, where he must prove his worth in the Colosseum while seeking revenge on invading general Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal.
Danish actress Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla from the 2000 original, while Denzel Washington is already earning Oscar buzz for his portrayal of the flamboyant and conniving ringmaster, Macrinus. "Jewelry, sandals, everything—I just looked like a Roman pimp... I couldn't put on enough rings," joked Washington at Monday's event.
Mescal and Future Themes
Paul Mescal—whose character in Gladiator II faces bloodthirsty baboons, rhinos, and sharks in addition to human foes—shared his excitement about returning for another installment. He revealed that Scott had already begun sketching ideas for a new direction.
"The last time I spoke to him, he said he had nine pages. Yesterday, he said he had 14," Mescal said. He added that he would be thrilled if the plot moved into a "more political sphere," envisioning Lucius navigating court intrigue in a manner reminiscent of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Scott confirmed that the sequel's themes of power and politics remain as relevant as ever. "They're exactly the same," he remarked.
"A super-rich man thinks he can take over the Empire. Is that familiar?" Scott said. "We don't learn anything historically. We keep repeating the same mistakes. We're going through exactly the same thing right now in several parts of the planet."
With AFP
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