More than 22 years after the release of his original film, development on Gladiator 2 is now ramping up, with director Ridley Scott reportedly looking for lead actors. After the first Gladiator, which stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, a soldier-turned-slave who fights to get revenge for the slaying of his family, proved popular, a sequel has struggled to get off the ground. One script for the project apparently featured Maximus being reincarnated as a warrior at different points throughout history, but the film never came to fruition. In late 2021, however, Scott revealed that a new script for Gladiator 2 had been completed and that he planned on directing it.

Now, more than a year after Scott revealed that the Gladiator 2 script is complete, a new report from Puck News reveals that the director is looking to cast lead actors for the sequel. Other details regarding the project, such as its plot or whether Crowe will return, remain unknown, but the latest report is a promising step toward the film actually entering production. Despite Scott's apparent enthusiasm for Gladiator 2 and momentum seemingly building, the movie has yet to officially get the green light.


Could Gladiator 2 Film In 2023


Although Scott may be looking to cast the project, there's still no guarantee that Gladiator 2 actually goes to camera this year. In addition to the fact that the sequel hasn't yet been given the green light, it's not clear whether Scott has the time in his schedule just yet. The director is currently in post-production on Napoleon, his historical biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular French emperor, but he's also attached to direct and executive produce a new series called Sinking Spring. On top of Sinking Spring, Scott is also attached to Queen & Country, an action-thriller currently in the early stages of development. Despite being attached to several projects, including another untitled Alien prequel, it's certainly possible that Gladiator 2 will take precedence for Scott.

Unfortunately, the report that Scott is looking for lead actors doesn't clarify whether Crowe will be returning. Maximus may have died at the end of the first movie, but it's possible that the actor will be brought back somehow in the sequel, with at least one scrapped Gladiator 2 script using supernatural means to facilitate the character's resurrection. If Crowe does return, the actor's schedule could prevent Gladiator 2 from filming this year. Crowe is currently slated to appear in Sleeping Dogs, Rothko, and American Son, all of which are currently in pre-production.

Gladiator 2 Release Date Possibilities


Despite the hurdles Gladiator 2 still has to overcome, the project could potentially film at some point later this year. Scott is known, after all, to make movies fairly quickly. Some unconfirmed reports have stated it could be going to camera this May, meaning audiences could expect to see the movie hit theaters as early as sometime next year. If it doesn't film this year, however, it's much more likely that Gladiator 2 will be released in 2025 or beyond. Although a number of questions remain, Scott's long-awaited sequel is now closer than ever before to actually becoming a reality.