What the original plan was for Gladiator 2 (and why it didn’t happen)

While Gladiator II is finally here, the sequel took almost 25 years to make and went through quite a few ideas over the years. The original GladiatorDirected by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, it debuted in 2000 to strong critical and commercial success. The film won several Oscars, including Best Actor for Crowe and Best Picture. Decades after its release, the film continues to be a beloved historical epic, which is evidenced by the excitement over the long-awaited sequel.

However, given the success of the first film, it’s not surprising that there have been many attempts over the years to deliver a sequel. The death of Crowe’s Maximus at the end of Gladiator made it difficult to figure out what direction the story could take. However, before getting to the legacy sequel that finally hit theaters, some unexpected ideas for a film emerged. Gladiator sequel that almost came to fruition, including some that brought Crowe back in a surprising way.

Gladiator 2 had several ideas

The sequel was originally announced in 2002

Despite Gladiator II Finally arriving nearly 25 years after the first film, plans for a sequel began almost immediately after the success of the first. Gladiator II was announced in 2002 with director Ridley Scott confirmed to return along with Crowe. It was said that the film would take place 15 years after the first film and would feature the resurrection of Maximus. However, in 2006, the film began to slow down with differing ideas on where to take the story.

It was reported that Crowe was interested in a more fantasy sequel that explored the Roman people’s beliefs in the afterlife of the time, while the studio was leaning toward a sequel focusing on Maximus and Lucilla’s son Lucius. Over the years, this conflict of ideas continued to delay the sequel’s development, despite Scott remaining interested in the sequel. This eventually led to bolder ideas, like Nick Cave’s infamous take on the story.

Nick Cave’s Gladiator 2 Idea Explained

Cave wrote a story spanning centuries for Maximus

The most commented draft of Gladiator 2 was the bizarre version written by Nick Cave. The film would have followed Maximus through the afterlife and reincarnation. He would become an immortal Roman soldier, cursed to live forever serving the republic and its interests. This included killing Lucius, who Maximus discovers is his son, as well as being sent by the pagan gods to destroy Christianity by killing Jesus Christ and his disciples.

The film would then have followed Maximus through the centuries as a warrior, portraying him fighting in the Crusades, World War II and Vietnam. The film would have ended in modern times, with Maximus working at the Pentagon. Perhaps not surprising, given the script’s wacky ideas and its departure from the original film, Cave’s Gladiator 2 the script ended up being rejected.

How Gladiator 2 Would Have Brought Back Russell Crowe’s Maximus

Crowe was not happy with the planned resurrection

There’s no denying that the film’s proposed sequel, as envisioned in Cave’s script, feels unconventional. However, his project solved an important puzzle that made the prospect of Gladiator 2 difficult, which was like bringing Russell Crowe’s iconic hero Maximus back into the story. Bringing back the film’s titular hero seemed like an impossible task unless the sequel entered the realm of fantasy and myth – which is exactly what Cave did. Ridley Scott commented on Maximus’ potential resurrection for Gladiator 2, saying:

You know I can bring him back, I know how to bring him back. I spoke to him [Crowe] about how I bring him back. I used the [body] of a dying warrior as a portal to bring someone back.

Although Scott seemed to think the idea of ​​resurrecting Maximus wasn’t too difficult, Russell Crowe revealed that there was another version of his resurrection that the actor wasn’t so sure about. When speaking with Screen Rant, Crowe revealed that Maximus’ return was much more biblical, imitating the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

I haven’t spoken to Doug in a long, long time. The last time I talked to Doug, he said he had a great idea where Maximus is carried out of the stadium and they pull a big rock and he is placed in this cave and then the rock closes and he is anointed with oils. And then the stone opens and he comes out. And I said, “Doug, I don’t think we have the rights to this story.” But that was a long, long time ago and I don’t think he liked my sense of humor at the time.

What Gladiator 2 Ended Up Being

Lucius returns for the sequel

Despite the long development and bizarre ideas for Gladiator IIthe sequence that ended up being made ironically harkened back to one of the first ideas initially developed. Ridley Scott Gladiator II takes place 25 years after the events of the first film, as well as Lucius as the main character. However, contrary to the original plan to make a film about Lucius searching for the truth about his biological father, the sequel finds Lucius on his own quest for revenge, which mirrors Maximus in the first film.

Gladiator II Cast

Paul Mescal takes on the role of Lucius when his home is invaded by a Roman general and his army, leading to Lucius being sold into slavery as a gladiator. He then partners with a former gladiator (Denzel Washington) to get revenge on the general who took everything from him, played by Pedro Pascal. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, Lucius’ mother, increasing the connection between the two films, even if Maximus does not return in Gladiator II.