Sir Ridley Scott, 80, has confirmed a sequel is in the offing 18 years after the original and said of Maximus: ‘I know how to bring him back’
A SEQUEL to Oscar-winning blockbuster Gladiator is in the offing, director Ridley Scott has confirmed.
And Russell Crowe could feature, despite his character Maximums being killed off in the 2000 original.
Sir Ridley, 80, has said of Maximus: “I know how to bring him back.
“I was having this talk with the studio — ‘but he’s dead’. But there is a way of bringing him back. Whether it will happen I don’t know.
“Russell’s changed a little bit but I’m trying to get him.”
Meanwhile singer-songwriter and script writer Nick Cave told how fellow Aussie Crowe, 54, had asked him for a plot line to resurrect Maximus.
Cave said the phone call went: “Hey Russell, didn’t you die in Gladiator?’ ‘Yeah, you sort that out’.” His idea saw Roman gods use Maximus to try to halt Christianity.
Instead, the screenplay will be written by Peter Craig, whose credits include two Hunger Games films and the forthcoming Top Gun sequel.
The plot will centre around Lucius, the nephew of Emperor Commodus, originally played by Joaquin Phoenix.
Gladiator was nominated for 11 Oscars and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
Oliver Reed, 61, died from a heart attack during filming, which was completed with CGI.
