Ridley Scott already has ideas for Gladiator 3, comparing the potential sequel to The Godfather. The director’s Best Picture-winning film from 2000 followed Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a Roman General who is sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator to exact revenge against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family. Over two decades later, Scott returned to direct Gladiator 2, which releases on November 15 and follows Paul Mescal as Lucius (played by Spencer Treat Clark in the original movie) who is similarly sold into slavery and fights as a gladiator.

Now, ahead of the sequel’s release, the director already has ideas for a third film. Talking to the French film magazine Premiere, Ridley Scott revealed that he is “toying” with the idea of Gladiator 3, and teased plot details for the potential sequel with comparisons to The Godfather. Read his full comments below:

I’m already toying with the idea of ​​Gladiator 3. 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.

When Will It Happen & What Will It Be About?

Ridley Scott’s comments reveal that, ahead of the sequel’s release, he is already considering Gladiator 3. However, it’s unclear just how serious he is about a potential threequel, and whether it will be a priority for him over other projects. Even at 86 years old, Ridley Scott remains one of the most prolific filmmakers working today. He constantly has a plethora of projects in various stages of development and pre-production, which right now includes a Bees Gees biopic, Queen & Country, Wraiths of the Broken Land, and more.

Related Gladiator 2 Cast & Character Guide The Gladiator sequel boasts a cast of characters both old and new, with actors from Stranger Things and The Mandalorian joining the epic story.

The director’s comments also provide a good idea about what a potential Gladiator 3 would be about. At the beginning of Gladiator 2, Lucius has renounced his noble privileges and is living with his wife and child in Numidia, though Ridley Scott’s comments suggest he could become emperor by the movie’s end, similar to Michael Corleone at the end of The Godfather, Gladiator 3 could follow Lucius in the powerful position he never wanted. Interestingly, Scott’s comments seem to suggest that Lucius will survive the events of Gladiator 2, unlike Maximus in the original movie.

Our Take On Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 3 Ideas
Will They Actually Happen?

While Ridley Scott already has some interesting ideas for Gladiator 3, it will take much more to make them a reality. It took the director 24 years to make Gladiator 2 and while a potential threequel could be fast-tracked, making a historical epic is still no easy feat. It’s also an unfortunate reality that the threequel’s chances will likely depend on Gladiator 2’s box office performance which, with a big budget of $250-310 million, might struggle mightily to make a profit. It’s difficult to fault the filmmaker’s ambition, but whether Gladiator 3 comes to fruition remains to be seen.

Source: Premiere