Russell Crowe Admits He’s ‘Slightly Uncomfortable’ About ‘Gladiator II’
Written by Rtradio on June 12, 2024
Russell Crowe has some complicated feelings about the upcoming Gladiator sequel.
On a new episode of the Kyle Meredith with… podcast, the 60-year-old Oscar winner opens up about director Ridley Scott returning to the cinematic colosseum to create a new story in the same universe as the 2000 film that skyrocketed Crowe to a new level of fame.
“I reflect back [on] the age I was when I made that film and all the things that came after it and the doors that that particular movie opened for me,” he said, sharing his thoughts on the sequel.
“There’s definitely a tinge — and this is just being purely honest — a tinge of melancholy, tinge of jealousy,” he admitted, adding with a laugh, “Because I remember when I had tendons.”
Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus, the nephew of Commodus, the patricidal traitor-turned-emperor played by Joaquin Phoenix in the first film. After years living on his own in the wilderness, and presumed dead by his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Lucius returns to Rome to enter the Colossseum himself, attempting to follow in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Maximus — the role that won Crowe the Best Actor Oscar back in 2001.
At the end of the first Gladiator, Maximus succumbs to injuries he earned while leading a violent attempt to overthrow Commodus, meaning Crowe’s character could not return for the sequel — a fact which has seemingly led to some skepticism from the actor.
“I’m slightly uncomfortable, the fact that they’re making another one, you know?” he admitted. “Because, of course, I’m dead, and I have no say in what gets done.”
“But, a couple of things that I’ve heard, I’m like, ‘No, no, no, no, no. That’s not in the moral journey of that particular character,'” he continued. “But, you know, can’t say anything. It’s not my place. I’m six foot under. So we’ll see what that is like.”
The film also stars Denzel Washington as a former slave-turned-wealthy merchant, Pedro Pascal as a former military commander forced to fight as a gladiator, Joseph Quinn as co-emperor Caracalla, Fred Hechinger as co-emperor Geta, Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus, Tim McInnerny as Thraex and Alexander Karim as Ravi, plus Lior Raz, Peter Mensah, Matt Lucas, May Calamawy and more.
Gladiator II is set to storm into theaters on Nov. 22.
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