Why Russell Crowe Isn't inGladiator II, and Everything He's Said About Missing Out on the Sequel

Mar. 15, 2025

Russell Crowe in “Gladiator” (2000); Paul Mescal in “Gladiator II” (2024).Photo:DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection

DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection

Much has been said aboutRussell Crowe’s absencefrom the newGladiatorsequel.

The actor, now 60, won an Oscar for Best Actor in 2001 for his performance in the first film as Maximus, a former Roman general who is forced to fight for his live in the Colosseum. (Gladiatorwon five of its 12 total nominations that year, including Best Picture.)

Why isn’t Crowe back for the new installment? For one — spoiler alert — Maximus died at the end of the first film.Gladiator IItakes place 16 years after his death, and his legacy looms large in Rome.

Then, in June 2024, Crowe said on a podcast that itwas “slightly uncomfortable” for him sincehis character is “dead, and I have no say in what gets done” in future storylines: “Can’t say anything. It’s not my place. I’m six foot under,” he said at the time.

Russell Crowe in “Gladiator” (2000).DreamWorks/courtesy Everett Collection

DreamWorks/courtesy Everett Collection

Two O.G. cast members do reprise their roles: Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi. New cast members range from Denzel Washington to Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn.

Paul Mescal in “Gladiator II” (2024).Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Said Mescal, “What I would love to discuss with Russell is, like … trade war stories. … We’ve gone through similar experiences with it."

Scott, who hasteased a possible third movie could happen, also toldExtrathere was a scrapped iteration of a sequel script that saw Maximus come back from the afterlife: “The only way of bringing him back from the dead was bringing him back through a dying warrior. … I said, ‘The only problem, Russell, is you look like the dying warrior, so it can’t be you.’ So it never really worked."

Russell Crowe on Feb. 7, 2024.Pool Insabato Rovaris/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Pool Insabato Rovaris/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Eventually, the team landed on the story’s continuation. Scott toldEmpire, “The plot, frankly, was right under our noses. I think it was so close under our noses that we thought it was too simple. I think [Crowe] is still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship. I hope we do. As long as he doesn’t start bitching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!”

Crowe does appear onscreen in the new one via throwback clips from the first movie, plus his character is frequently name-checked. Additionally, in the final moments of the movie, a close-up shot shows a glimpse of a hand that somewhat resembles Maximus' in the afterlife, though a face is never shown.

Gladiator IIis in theaters now.Gladiatoris currently streaming on Paramount+.

source: people.com