So far as 2024 motion pictures go, Gladiator II virtually felt prefer it took a lifetime to get into the world. There was definitely no scarcity of curiosity, and as seen with Nick Cave’s completely bonkers sequel draft no drought on concepts. However when it got here to truly cracking into the nuts and bolts of the Paul Mescal-led ensemble drama, producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher admit that the time was effectively spent, as they wished to keep away from being “a pale imitation” of the 2000 Greatest Image winner.
Throughout an interview with THR, the manufacturing staff of Wick and Fisher held court docket whereas laying out the street that led to the current field workplace smash. And naturally, the reincarnated Maximus thought fell off fairly rapidly. Nevertheless, as Lucy Fisher shared throughout this dialog, one angle was one thing that at all times gave the impression to be the easiest way ahead:
Like Doug stated, there was a lot stress to dwell as much as the primary one, and if we had been going to do it, we definitely didn’t need to be a pale imitation. We wished to determine a narrative and a personality that might be deserving, and whereas we at all times knew it was going to be the surviving character of Lucius, we didn’t fairly know what the story was. We finally discovered the concept of the reluctant prince, and that’s when all of it started to click on.
The storyline that ensued after Gladiator II discovered its hook is one which sees Lucius on the heart of the motion is what vital response to Ridley Scott’s sequel has been targeted on. Though the press cycle has revealed that the Gladiator director’s alternate opening to half two would have seen some motion with Russell Crowe’s Maximus.
However within the curiosity of not falling into the entice of a “pale imitation,” that concept was scrapped for an animated recap of the earlier image’s occasions. Even with an concept that appeared viable to make the lengthy awaited follow-up a actuality, there was one other downside that the majority Hollywood motion pictures face: scheduling.
And as Lucy Fisher continued to clarify on this identical interview, Sir Ridley Scott’s breakneck tempo remains to be fairly one thing:
It makes our careers appear paltry, however Ridley has made 17 motion pictures in between Gladiator motion pictures, which is greater than most different individuals. So we had been all busy at totally different occasions, after which numerous years in the past, we actually began to work on the event of the story, which did take a couple of years.
That work ethic hasn’t slowed down in any respect, as even throughout Gladiator II’s early press marketing campaign, Ridley Scott was revealed as growing one other Alien film. Oh, and there was additionally the trace that the person himself is already entertaining concepts for a Gladiator III.
Which most likely isn’t a nasty thought, contemplating how vast open Gladiator II’s ending occurs to be. Although for Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher’s sakes, I hope one other 17 motion pictures don’t leap in line in entrance of that challenge. One other 20 years wouldn’t be advantageous, as I’m positive they’re as excited as Mr. Scott is for that potential return.
Within the meantime, buddies, readers, residents of the web, you possibly can at the moment see Gladiator II in theaters now. And people who need to dream of how totally different Gladiator’s ending would hit if Maximus did seem in that scrapped opening, a Paramount+ subscription is all you’ll have to make it occur.