Ridley Scott recently sparked excitement among fans by teasing the possibility of a third installment in the Gladiator franchise, but he has since clarified his remarks.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Scott addressed speculation about a sequel to Gladiator II, stating, “People ask, ‘Do you have a third film in the works?’ My instinctive response is, ‘Of course.’ But do we actually have it? Not quite yet.” He explained that he has been contemplating a potential third film while working on Gladiator II, particularly regarding which characters will survive. “It’s more compelling if there’s a survivor,” he noted.
Scott further elaborated on the tone of the sequel, comparing its ending to that of The Godfather. He explained, “The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone facing a role he never wanted and questioning, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So, the next film will center around a man who finds himself in a position he doesn’t want to be in.”
Meanwhile, Denzel Washington, who stars as Macrinus in the upcoming Gladiator II, praised Scott’s immersive filmmaking style. At the Los Angeles premiere, he said, “All we had to do was put on the costumes and start talking.” He continued, “Ridley did an amazing job of recreating Rome. When we walked around, it felt like we were truly in Rome, surrounded by 10,000 extras and horses. It was all make-believe, a wonderful play.”
As anticipation builds for Gladiator II, fans are eager to see how Scott’s vision unfolds and whether a third film will eventually come to fruition.
