“They never understood the moral core of the original.” With these words, Russell Crowe expressed his disappointment about the sequel Gladiator 2led by Ridley Scott and will be released soon in November 2024, according to Australian radio station Triple J. The actor, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Maximus in the original film, questioned the new film’s direction and the way in which the screenwriters reinterpreted the story’s keystones.
In an interview from his home in Australia, Crowe addressed the frustration he has felt for months about how the sequel distances itself from “what made the first one special.” “It wasn’t the spectacle or the action scenes, but the moral core,” he explained, according to Triple J, emphasizing that neither the violence nor the Roman setting allowed for that gladiator transcended: It was Maximus’ integrity that gave depth and meaning to the plot.
The controversy over Maximus’ character is not new. Crowe said that every day of shooting the original film was marked by intense discussions to maintain his character’s ethics and emotional coherence. “It was a daily battle… They suggested sex scenes or something like that for Maximus, which I thought took away the power of the character,” he recalls. “How can they expect him to be a man so scarred by the loss of his family and at the same time portray him as unfaithful? It’s a contradiction. It’s crazy!” Crowe insisted, according to the source.
In the narrative of the film, released at the beginning of the century, Maximus sets out on a path of revenge after witnessing the murder of his wife and son. This tragedy, according to the Australian actor, justified his refusal to accept changes to the script that suggested alternative romances. The character’s motivation lay precisely in his loyalty and sense of justice. The sequel takes place years later and stars Paul Mescalintroduces a dramatic twist: Lucius, played by Mescal, turns out to be the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), the result of a previous romance. Crowe claims that the script decision broke the moral foundation he had defended in the original and that it gave Maximus qualities that he would never have approved of had he participated. “In my opinion this damages the moral legacy of the character,” Triple J said in its statements.
The controversy deepens because at no point was Crowe consulted to offer ideas or considerations about the new story Ridley Scott nor from the project’s scriptwriters. The actor admitted that since Maximus’ death at the end of the Oscar-winning film he no longer had any expectations of being called to participate, but he expected a minimal gesture of courtesy due to his crucial role in consolidating the saga. The team’s indifference reinforces the discomfort of constantly answering questions about a production in which they do not intervene.
In a particularly tense passage during the Karlovy Vary Festival, Crowe urged journalists to stop associating him with the sequel: “I should already be paid for the number of questions I answer about a film in which I don’t even appear,” he protested. Despite this exhaustion, he admitted to feeling a “certain pinch of jealousy,” feelings brought on by memories of his youth and its impact gladiator in his career, according to the broadcaster. The expectation around Gladiator 2 grows ahead of its November 2024 premiere as the original story’s protagonist watches from afar as his cinematic legacy is reimagined without his involvement or blessing.
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