Russell Crowe says makers of Gladiator II did not understand what made the first one special'

"Russell Crowe has said that the makers of Gladiator II did not understand what made that first one special. In interview excerpts posted on social media by Australian radio station Triple J, Crowe said that the Gladiator sequel, which starred Paul Mescal and was released in 2024, was let down by the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made that first one special."

"He said: There was a daily fight on that set to keep that moral core of the character. The amount of times that they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus it's like you're taking away his power. He added: So you're saying at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was fucking this other girl? What are you talking about? It's crazy."

Gladiator II, released in 2024 and directed by Ridley Scott, starred Paul Mescal as Hanno, revealed as Maximus's son with Lucilla. The sequel was criticized for lacking the original film's moral core and prioritizing pomp, circumstance and action. The original 2000 Gladiator featured Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general forced into slavery who dies of his wounds; the film won best picture and best actor Oscars. During the first film's production, repeated proposals to resume a relationship between Maximus and Lucilla and to add sex scenes threatened the character's moral integrity, prompting daily efforts on set to preserve it.

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