Russell Crowe has weighed in on the upcoming Gladiator 2 movie, the long-awaited sequel to the blockbuster that made him a global superstar.
The 60-year-old won an Academy Award for his role in the original Gladiator, which first hit screens in 2000 and earned close to half a billion dollars at the box office.
The famously outspoken New Zealand-born fan favourite admits he feels ‘uncomfortable’ about the new film, which he says he had ‘no say in’.
He made the comments during an interview on the Kyle Meredith with…podcast on Monday.
As fans will recall, in the film Crowe played Roman general Maximus, who is enslaved and becomes a famed gladiator before dying tragically.
Russell Crowe has weighed in on the upcoming Gladiator 2 movie, the long-awaited sequel to the blockbuster that made him a global superstar. Pictured
The 60-year-old won an Academy Award for his role in the original Gladiator, which first hit screens in 2000 and earned close to half a billion dollars at the box office. Pictured: Crowe as Maximus in a scene from the original film
‘I’m slightly uncomfortable with the fact they’re making another one — because, of course, I’m ‘dead’ and I have no say in what gets done,’ Russell joked during the interview.
He also hinted that he was not fully in support of some story aspects of the new film, which have been leaked – even though it is being directed by 86-year-old Ridley Scott, who made the original Gladiator.
‘But a couple of the things I’ve heard I’m like, ”No, no, no, that’s not in the moral journey of that particular character”’, the Beautiful Mind actor said.
‘But I can’t say anything, it’s not my place, I’m ‘six foot under’. So we’ll see what that is like.’
He confirmed last month on UK radio that he was not working on the sequel starring Irish actor Paul Mescal, 28.
‘I’m sure at some point in time they’ll want to ask me about something, but they haven’t brought anything up in a while,’ Crowe said during an appearance on Virgin Radio UK’s Ryan Turbridy Show.
The sequel will star Irish actor Paul Mescal, 28, who plays the role of Lucius Verus. In the original film the character was seen as a young boy who idolised Crowe’s gladiator
‘It’s an extension of the narrative, but it is long beyond Maximus’ passing, so it doesn’t really involve me at all,’ he explained.
Crowe added that he heard, ‘that young fella Paul is a good dude and I wish him the best of luck with it.’
‘I think where they’re picking the story up from, a young Lucius, stepping into the role of emperor. I think that’s a very smart idea within the world of the film that we created,’ Crowe said.
In the new film Mescal takes over the role of Lucius Verus (Spencer Treat Clark), the grown-up nephew of the late Roman Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who idolized the late general-turned-slave-turned-gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe).
Derek Jacobi returns as Senator Gracchus and Connie Nielsen is back as Lucius’ mother Lucilla, who bestows Maximus’ ring to him in the film set in 200 BCE.
Denzel Washington is also featured in the cast of the new film.
Ridley Scott’s original Gladiator famously amassed $465.4 million at the global box office and won five Academy Awards including best picture.
Gladiator 2 is scheduled for release in Australia on November 22, 2024.
