Gladiator 2 is coming despite a rocky production, the star of the original Ridley Scott epic, Russell Crowe, has teased a very different approach for the upcoming sequel.

Speaking to MaltaToday, Crowe said, “He [Ridley Scott] has been thinking about it for a very long time, he has a very sure clear idea of how to tell the second story. It is not a remake. It is a different story altogether.”

This is promising news as the question of where the story could go from where Gladiator left off is fair — especially considering Crowe is not in the film.

The sequel will follow Lucius (Paul Mescal), nephew of Commodus (Spencer Treat Clark portrayed the character in Gladiator) after he was saved by Maximus (Crowe) in the first film. While Crowe is not returning, Connie Nielsen, who played Lucilla in the first film, and Djimon Hounsou both return in Gladiator 2. The rest of the ensemble is filled with A-listers including Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Moon Knight star May Calamawy.

Ridley Scott returns to direct Gladiator 2. The legendary Blade Runner director has been on a tear as of late and is showing no signs of slowing down at the spry age of 85. In his early years, Scott directed classics like Alien and American Gangster. In 2021, it was a double dosage of Scott as The Last Duel and House of Gucci — two historical dramas of very different events — were released. Later this year, Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix will be released.

 

Gladiator 2 is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2024.