The sequel to Gladiator is being written. Director Ridley Scott said in an interview with Empire, “I’m already having [the next] Gladiator written now. So when I’ve done Napoleon, Gladiator will be ready to go.”
“Napoleon” refers to Scott’s next project, Kitbag, a biopic about Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power. The Gladiator sequel will be Ridley Scott’s next project after he has filmed Kitbag.
The original Gladiator from 2000, which won five Oscars and made Russel Crowe a star, featured Crowe as Maximus, a Roman General seeking vengeance on a corrupt emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who had his family killed. Phoenix will soon be working with Scott again, portraying Napoleon Bonaparte in Kitbag.
The sequel, which The Hollywood Reporter says was first announced in 2018, is set to take place 25 years after the events of the original film. It is slated to follow Commodus’s nephew Lucius, whose mother Lucilla was portrayed by Connie Nielson in the first film.
Since the production is so far off, there have been no casting announcements. Given the deaths of both Maximus and Commodus in the first film, it is unlikely that Crowe or Phoenix will reprise their roles. Lucius was originally portrayed by a young Spencer Treat Clark of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fame in the 2000 film. Clark is now 34, an age that would line up over time, but there has been no discussion on whether he will be involved or not.
Despite being 83 years of age, Scott does not seem to be slowing down. He has two films coming out this year, The Last Duel and House of Gucci. He also announced in 2015 that along with Alien: Covenant (2017), there would be two more prequel films to Alien (1979).
The Last Duel will be released on October 15, 2021, and House of Gucci will be released on November 24, 2021.
