Russell Crowe Reveals Why People Got Angry With Him About ‘Gladiator II’

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Russell Crowe isn’t impressed with the new Gladiator sequel. Although he won an Oscar for playing Maximus in the original film, Crowe told Triple J that the 2024 follow-up misses what made the first Gladiator great. He believes the success wasn’t about big battles or spectacle, but rather the strong moral center of the story, something the new film seems to lack.

Crowe later learned about a surprising plot twist in the movie: that Lucius, Lucilla’s son (played by Paul Mescal), was actually the illegitimate son of Maximus. He discovered this not from the filmmakers, but from women who were upset with his character’s actions and shared the information with him.

After that movie was released in Europe, I kept having women approach me in restaurants, asking about Maximus and what happened with him. They seemed to think I was involved, and I’d have to explain that I wasn’t responsible for anything!

The Impact of ‘Gladiator II’ Compared to ‘Gladiator’

The film Gladiator was the first of five movies Russell Crowe made with director Ridley Scott. They later collaborated on A Good Year (2006), American Gangster (2007), Body of Lies (2008), and Robin Hood (2010). It’s been fifteen years since their last project together. Although there were early ideas for a brief appearance, Crowe didn’t act in Gladiator II. However, the character of Maximus does appear in the sequel through the use of footage from the original Gladiator film.

The new film, Gladiator II, features Paul Mescal in the lead role as Lucian, with supporting performances by Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger. Only Diane Nielsen and Derek Jacobi returned from the original Gladiator movie. Released on November 22, 2024, Gladiator II, along with films like Wicked and Moana 2, helped make the Thanksgiving box office the most successful ever.

Despite earning $172 million in the US and $462 million globally, Gladiator II didn’t resonate with audiences in the same way as the original Gladiator. The first film made $187 million domestically and $465 million worldwide in 2000 (without adjusting for inflation). While financially comparable, Gladiator II didn’t receive a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards, unlike the original, which won the award in 2000.

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2025-12-15 02:47