Gladiator II will be one of the year’s biggest releases. Although Russell Crowe is obviously missing from the sequel, last year he joked about fielding many questions about it when he was not involved at all. “They should be f*cking paying me for the amount of questions I get asked about the f*cking film that I am not even in,” adding, “In that world, I’m dead, six feet under. And that’s that.” However, he also thinks the movie is bound to be extraordinary.“If Ridley has decided to do a second part … he will have really strong reasons…I couldn’t think of that movie being less than absolutely spectacular.” He even admitted to a “twinge of jealousy” over the film as it reminds him of his younger days.

According to Variety, Ridley Scott has stated how he never felt the need to consult Crowe over the making of Gladiator II. Scott told Empire that there hadn’t been any semblance of hard feelings between the two,

The plot, frankly, was right under our noses. I think it was so close under our noses that we thought it was too simple. I think [Russell Crowe] is still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship. I hope we do. As long as he doesn’t start bitching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!”

Although many feel this sequel is unnecessary, Scott and the studio have been boasting about the film as one of the best movies Scott has ever done. He would also tell Empire, “It’s the best thing I’ve ever made.” Scott would slightly walk back his grandiose statement to say, “One of the best things. I’ve made a few good ‘uns.” He then went on to tease, “It’s full-bore, brutal action.”

Paul Mescal, who stars as Lucius, said that the Gladiator sequel gave him a chance to break into action territory. “I had always had a kind of latent ambition to do something that was more muscular and physical,” he said. “From a selfish side of things, I wanted to surprise an audience, because I knew that I have this kind of role within me. When this came up, I was like, ‘This is something that I don’t think anybody who’s seen the work that I’ve done previously will be expecting,’ and it’s Ridley Scott.” In addition to Mescal, Gladiator II stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Derek Jacobi.

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