Gladiator Producer Opens Up On Why It Is An Uphill Task To Make A Sequel Of The Academy Award-Winning Film

Filmmaker Ridley Scott’s Gladiator which released back in 2000 was one of the biggest hits of that year. The film not just raked a humongous moolah at the global box office, but also garnered massive appreciation from cine-goers across the world. The epic historical venture led by actor Russell Crowe bagged 5 Academy awards in various categories including the best picture of the year 2000.

Ever since there have been several speculations that have been made around a sequel to the film. Now the film’s producer has finally decided to spill the beans on what should fans expect!

Talking about the sequel, producer Douglas Wick was quoted by cinemablend.com saying, “The challenge in the sequel is that everyone has such respect for the movie that any sort of cynical moneymaking endeavor would be repugnant to anyone involved. We’re definitely exploring a sequel and what it could be; and if we get something good enough on paper, we’ll proceed. Ridley (Scott) is very involved in that exploration.”

With Gladiator, which earned Russell Crowe the prestigious Academy award under the best actor category, the actor delivered one of the finest performances in his career as Maximus Decimus Meridius, who later on dies in the film. With very little hopes to bring the lead character back alive, apart from sequel, there were many speculations about a prequel to the film.

Talking on the same note, Douglas Wick shared a funny incident, as he said, ” It (prequel)was never… that’s not true. The funniest call I got was from the weekend after we opened. Russell Crowe’s agent called me, and said, ‘I have a great idea. Why don’t we start the sequel, and we’re at the arena. We see a bunch of men carrying a stretcher out of the arena, and they go around a corner, and Russell gets off the stretcher and says, ‘It worked. They believe I’m dead.’ Everyone had different ideas of what the sequel could be, there was never a prequel.”

Along with Russell Crowe, other actors who played key roles in the magnum opus were, Joker star Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi among others.

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