After a quarter of a century, Gladiator II is finally set to release in UK cinemas today.
And already Sir Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal are getting hyped for Gladiator III to complete the trilogy.
Speaking with Variety, the star said: “Oh yeah, massively down. I don’t think it will be [24] years — but I have no idea when it will be.”
Meanwhile, the director has already been writing the script to conclude his trilogy Godfather style.
And considering the ending of Gladiator II, there’s an idea of where the plot could be headed. Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Speaking with Total Film, Scott clarified that Gladiator III would have one massive change from the previous two movies.
The 87-year-old, who has no plans to retire, said: “I’ve already got eight pages. I’ve got the beginning of a very good footprint… Of there’s a Gladiator 3, I don’t think you’d ever go back into the arena.”
Presumably, this is because, unlike his father, Maximus, Lucius did not die in the Colosseum. With the co-Emperors Caracalla and Geta killed by Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, the grandson of Marcus Aurelius defeats his old slave master in combat outside Rome.
Lucius then promises the Roman army that he will rebuild Rome as his grandfather would have wanted. He is presumably now the de facto Emperor.
This explains why Ridley believes a third film will be like The Godfather Part III or even the upcoming Dune: Messiah, with the lead having won and now sitting on his throne.
Speaking to France’s Premiere magazine, Scott shared: “I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator III. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse. The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
Gladiator II is out now.