‘Gladiator 2’ Producer Confirms the Sequel Will Be Set 25 Years After the Original

Late last year, THR had reported that Ridley Scott was returning to the world of "Gladiator" for a planned sequel. It read like one of those kooky satirical writeups from The Onion, but it was actually true. The Oscar-winning director was indeed moving forward on a followup to his 2001 Best Picture winner. This one would follow Lucius (son of Lucilla and the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix's villainous Commodus). If you remember, Maximus saved the boy from his uncle in the 2000 film.

Now we have more ‘Gladiator 2’ news as the producers behind the 2000 follow-up, Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald have confirmed that the sequel will be set 25 years after the original. That is what they told HeyUGuys writer Stefan Pape during the press tour for ‘Men in Black: International’

MacDonald: “We’re working with Ridley, that’s one we wouldn’t touch unless we felt in a way to do it was legitimate. We’re working with an amazing writer as well, Peter Craig.

Parkes: “It picks up the story 30 years later… 25 years later”.

Writer Peter Craig (The Crown, Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1 & 2) will write the screenplay with Scott returning to direct.

Scott had previously stated that Maximus would use the "portal of a dying warrior" to come back from the dead in the sequel, whatever that meant. Nick Cave had written the script for the unlikely sequel, but, according to Scott, it's been sitting on the DreamWorks shelf for close to 10 years now. Cave's screenplay seems to have been scrapped altogether for Craig's take. The question remains whether Crowe will be back or not.