Ridley Scott Says Ideas for ‘Gladiator III’ are in the Works

Director Ridley Scott Says He has Ideas For a Third ‘Gladiator’ Movie

The director invoked the ‘Godfather’ franchise as the inspiration for his plans to cap the story with a third movie that would return to Rome.

(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal on the set of 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.

Preview:

‘Gladiator II’ director Ridley Scott says he has ideas for a third.
There are no concrete plans just yet.
The ‘Gladiator’ sequel launches in theaters in November.

Even though ‘Gladiator II’, the much-buzzed about sequel to his 2000 epic ‘Gladiator’ is still two months away from release, director Ridley Scott is saying that he’s already throwing around ideas for a third movie, one he intends to wrap up the story as a trilogy.

And according to the filmmaker, he’s got some interesting inspiration…

What has happened with ‘Gladiator III’ so far?

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.

While a third ‘Gladiator’ movie is strictly at the discussion stage right now, Scott told France’s Premiere magazine that he’s considering ideas for it.

Here’s what Scott had to say:

“I’m already playing with the idea of ‘Gladiator III’ “No, seriously! I lit the fuse… The ending of ‘Gladiator II’ evokes that of ‘The Godfather,’ with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want and wondering, ‘And now, Father, What am I doing?’ So, the next film will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”

That concept points to a return for Paul Mescal, who plays main character Lucius (more on that below).

In a follow-up interview with the magazine, the actor admitted that he’d spoken to Scott about a potential next outing.

This is what Mescal had to say:

“Yes, Ridley spoke to me about it, but only yesterday! So I’m waiting to see what will happen, but it interests me, of course. But we must not rush anything: the story must hold together.”

Whether it interests Mescal or not is only part of the issue here; ‘Gladiator II’ is a big, expensive bet by Paramount (to the tune of, according to different reports, of between $200 and $300 million), so it will need to make some serious profit to trigger spending on another sequel.

But let’s be honest here, if any director can wrangle studios to his will, it’s Scott.

What’s the story of ‘Gladiator II’?

Connie Nielsen plays Lucilla in 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.

Scott’s sequel is set decades after the original film. Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) dispatched Lucius (who in adult form is played by ‘Normal People’ and ‘Aftersun’s Mescal) to the African region of Numidia, where he has grown up feeling resentful of his mother for sending him away.

Her reasons were to secure his safety –– Numidia is beyond the grasp of Rome. But as Lucius has raised his own family, his relatively safety is put under threat when Rome decides to invade Numidia.

Returned to his birthplace as a slave and then a gladiator, Lucius must confront his past and secure his future.

Who else is in ‘Gladiator II’

Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius in 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.

The movie also features Pedro Pascal as Acacius, the Roman General who leads the assault on Numidia, and who ends up clashing with Lucius back in Rome –– oh, and he’s also in love with Lucilla.

Denzel Washington, who worked with Scott on ‘American Gangster’, is Macrinus, an arms dealer who supplies food for the armies in Europe, including wine and oil and makes steel, spears, weapons, cannons, and catapults. He is a very wealthy man who rides a golden chariot.

Then we have Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla and Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, two relatively young brothers who rule the crumbling Roman Empire and are described as damaged goods from birth, cruel and vain.

Gladiator II

"Prepare to be entertained."

R2 hr 28 minNov 22nd, 2024

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Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the... Read the Plot