Ridley Scott Has Already 'Lit the Fuse' on Gladiator 3
It took Ridley Scott more than 20 years to bring Gladiator 2 to life, but that isn’t stopping him from getting a head start on Gladiator 3.
Warning: This story contains potential spoilers for Gladiator 2's ending.
It took Ridley Scott more than 20 years to bring Gladiator 2 to life, but that isn’t stopping him from getting a head start on Gladiator 3.
The director spoke about the future of his Roman Empire action series during a conversation with French magazine Premiere (via Variety). While the upcoming sequel won’t arrive in theaters for more than two more months, Scott has high hopes that he'll be able to continue the story with Gladiator 3. It’s all early stages and it seems nothing is set in stone, but the filmmaker is at least excited about the series enough to spark a few ideas.
“I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3,” Scott teased. “No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse. The ending of Gladiator 2 is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
Scott is giving moviegoers clues about a third film when the second has yet to make its way to the public, so it’s hard to make out exactly what he’s setting up. What we do know about Gladiator 2 is that it stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, an individual with ties to the original 2000 film seeking redemption as a gladiator in Rome’s bloody colosseum. He’ll be joined by an all-star cast upon its premiere, including Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, Denzel Washington as Macrinus, Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, and Connie Nielsen as Lucilla.
Whether Gladiator 3 manages to claw its way to theaters relies on how Gladiator 2 fares at the box office. We’ll know if we should expect Scott’s Godfather-esque story will manage to play out with a third film when the second arrives on its November 22, 2024 release date. Until then, you can read more about why Gladiator 2’s rhino is so important. You can also check out why some fans were impressed by an early clip from the film.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
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