Russell Crowe, the star of Gladiator, has voiced sharp criticism of the sequel to the historical epic that premiered in 2024.
Crowe says the filmmakers — including director Ridley Scott — turned the follow-up into something hollow, overlooking the qualities that made the original film resonant.
“The recent sequel, which I won’t name aloud, is a clear example of creators who don’t grasp what made the first film exceptional. It wasn’t about spectacle, or the circumstances, or the action. It was grounded in a moral core. On set there was a daily effort […] to preserve the character’s moral center. How often did they pitch Maximus [Crowe’s character — ed.] sexual scenes and similar elements, and in doing so they seemed to dilute his strength. Are they suggesting that while married he was simultaneously sleeping with another woman? That’s absurd,” Crowe told Australian radio station Triple J.
Gladiator 2 features Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and others. The picture failed to recoup its production costs, earning $462 million worldwide.
Crowe won an Academy Award for the original Gladiator. He most recently appeared in the drama Nuremberg.
