Russell Crowe revealed how Gladiator 2 would have brought back Maximus, saying that the method was distinctly biblical in its scope. Crowe was the star of the Ridley Scott sword and sandals epic, playing the lead role of Maximus, a Roman general who is betrayed when the Emperor dies, and sent to work as a slave. The climax of the film sees Maximus taking on the new, corrupt Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in a duel. Despite being stabbed before the fight, Maximus wins, killing Commodus before succumbing to his own wounds.
The movie was a massive success at the box office, and won five academy awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. For the Australian actor, it was a game-changer, making him one of the biggest stars in the world. Despite many rumors over the years, and immediate plans following the movie's release, a sequel has never materialized. At one point, Australian musician Nick Cave was attached to write a Gladiator 2 script, which would have seen Maximus travel through the afterlife before being resurrected through the body of a slain warrior. More recent news suggests that a sequel is still a possibility, but won't involve Crowe, according to the man himself.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Crowe for his latest movie, Unhinged, the veteran actor revealed what the original plan was for Gladiator 2. Crowe says that producer Doug Wick told him his plan was to open the new film with Maximus' body being carried into a cave, only to be resurrected a few days later. Crowe's reaction to the bible-inspired story was to jokingly question whether they would have the rights to tell the tale. You can read Crowe's exclusive comments below.
I haven't talked to Doug in a long, long time. Last time I talked to Doug, he said he had this great idea where Maximus gets carried from the stadium and they pull back this big rock and he gets put into this cave and then the rock closes over and he's anointed with oils. And then the rock opens up and he comes out. And I said, "Doug, I don't think we have the rights to that story." But that was a long, long time ago and I don't think he appreciated my sense of humor at the time.
If the story seems a little too reminiscent of the tale of Jesus' resurrection, Wick clearly didn't think so, if Crowe's tale is accurate. It's certainly a little too familiar, though in the first movie Maximus is set up to be a savior character, so taking it one step further and making him a Jesus-type savior isn't too much of a stretch. Wick recently said that the possibility of a sequel isn't dead, and that Scott is working on a solution to the problem of resurrecting Maximus.
Whether that would involve the Jesus-like return from the dead as Crowe tells it remains to be seen, but given that he won't be involved, it seems unlikely. A sequel focusing on Maximus' nephew, Lucius, played by Spencer Treat Clark in the original, could be a way to get around the problem entirely. Regardless, if Gladiator 2 does happen, it is likely to be one of the most anticipated follow-up movies of all time.