Warning: This story contains possible spoilers for the ending of Gladiator 2.
It took Ridley Scott more than 20 years to bring Gladiator 2 to life, but that doesn’t stop him from getting a head start on Gladiator 3.
The director spoke to the French magazine about the future of his Roman Empire action series premiere (above diversity). Although the upcoming sequel won’t hit theaters for more than two months, Scott has high hopes that he can continue the story with Gladiator 3. It’s all still in the early stages and it seems like nothing is set in stone yet, but the filmmaker is at least excited enough about the series to have a few ideas.
“I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3,” Scott teased. “No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse. The end of Gladiator 2 is reminiscent of The Godfather, where Michael Corleone gets a job he doesn’t want and asks himself, ‘Well, father, what do I do?’ So the next (film) will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
Scott is giving moviegoers hints about a third film, although the second hasn’t hit theaters yet, so it’s hard to know exactly what he’s up to. What we do know about Gladiator 2 is that Paul Mescal is co-starring as Lucius, a character with ties to the original 2000 film who seeks redemption as a gladiator in Rome’s bloody Colosseum. He’ll be joined at the premiere by an all-star cast, including Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, Denzel Washington as Macrinus, Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, and Connie Nielsen as Lucilla.
Whether Gladiator 3 makes it to theaters depends on how Gladiator 2 performs at the box office. We’ll know if we can expect Scott’s Godfather-esque story to be adapted into a third film when the second one hits theaters on November 22, 2024. Until then, you can read more about it Why the Rhino is so important in Gladiator 2You can also why some fans were impressed by an early clip from the film.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor to IGN. He began writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to follow him on Twitter @MikeCripe.
