The period action drama film Gladiator 2 has already arrived at the theatres, but franchise star Russel Crowe (from Gladiator) has not returned to the big screen for the 2024 sequel. Director Ridley Scott originally had plans to cast Crowe in the new movie, but this time, we get to see new faces.
Crowe played the role of Maximus, a successful Roman general in Gladiator (2000). However, now we have Paul Mescal emerging as Lucius (son of Maximus) and the future gladiator. His part is similar to that of his father, where we witness his solo mission as a fighter trying to avenge his family's death.
As per reports, Russell Crowe's absence in Gladiator 2 is primarily rooted in his character's fate in the original movie. As seen at the end of Gladiator, Maximus succumbs to his injuries after defeating the villainous emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in a duel.
Why was Russell Crowe not in Gladiator 2?
Though initially, the Gladiator franchise had plans for Russell Crowe's return in Gladiator 2, it was eventually dropped by director Ridley Scott. The story was set to venture through a now-dead Maximus' fight through the realms of Hell.
Scott mentioned in a statement:
"Russell and I had a go at it around 18 years ago. I had Nick Cave writing the script, and I kept saying to Russell, 'But you're dead.' And he said, 'I know I'm dead. And I want to come back from the dead."
However, this plot was later abandoned, with Paul Mescal playing Lucius in the new film. This idea of continuing the story without Crowe had also made him "slightly uncomfortable," as he told in a statement to Kyle Meredith in 2024:
"I’m slightly uncomfortable, the fact they’re making another one, you know? Because, of course, I’m dead, and I have no say in what gets done. A couple of things that I’ve heard, I’m like, 'No, no, no. That’s not in the moral journey of that particular character.' But you know, I can’t say anything. That’s not my place. I’m six feet under. So we’ll see what that is like."
But Crowe was on the set of Gladiator 2 on an occasion, and he shared the experience with Deadline:
"I looked across to Fort Ricasoli, and the Colosseum’s been built there again, just like it was in 1999. I tell you, man, it was like a time warp — for a couple of seconds there, I was like, 'What year is this? Where are we?' I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting that they would rebuild the Colosseum in the exact same place."
Director Scott has justified the sequel by saying:
"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 b*tching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!"
So, the main reason Crowe was not made a part of Gladiator 2 is because his character (Maximus) dies at the end of Gladiator. Bringing him back from the dead was an option, but it would not allow the story to continue beyond events that happened more than two decades ago.
How is Russel Crowe's character connected to Gladiator 2?
The story of the Gladiator franchise continues through the 2024 sequel, as we see Maximus's son Lucius (Paul Mescal) as the protagonist. After his family's death because of the cruel actions of an oppressive ruler, Lucius starts training himself to be a gladiator and sets out to seek revenge.
The biggest twist in the plot is that Lucius does not know Maximus is his father. He has seen slavery ever since he was a little kid and has lived like that forever, unaware of his legendary bloodline.
The fact that he is the descendant of the 'gladiator' is crucial to the story's continuation, with Mescal's character constantly connected to Crowe's. It is eventually revealed to Lucius who he is after he plans to take control of the Roman empire in the movie's third act.
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Also read: What do we need to recall from Gladiator (2000) before watching its 2024 sequel Gladiator 2?
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