Ridley Scott has decided to fully hop onboard the “Gladiator II” hype train. Do you blame him? The film cost well over $300M and had a botched trailer launch that was ridiculed for its usage of a rap song.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the “Alien: Romulus” premiere, the filmmaker, 86, says he has every right to believe that the upcoming sequel is as good as the 2000 original.
“It's as good as the first one,” Scott tells PEOPLE. “I didn't say better. It's as good.”
“Gladiator II” is set to arrive in theaters on Nov. 22, 2024 with Paul Mescal as the lead and Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington in supporting roles.
It’s not like those who’ve seen “Gladiator II” have been saying negative things. Deadline was told that it’s “fantastic” and “Oscar-worthy.” It test screened very well, and buzz has spread throughout the film community about Scott potentially having a major hit here.
The trailer made the film look entertaining enough. Denzel owned every scene, no surprise there. I’m not big on Paul Mescal, and the brief footage I saw didn’t really impress me. Was it a good idea to give him the lead role?
We should probably tamper out expectations. It’s impossible to know which Ridley Scott will show up in “Gladiator II.” Although he’s made a handful of great films in his career, Scott has inconsistencies. You just never know what you’re going to get with him.
Still no distributor for "Bucking Fastard," "Alpha Gang," "The Last Photograph," "Closing Night," and "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd." The issue seems to be quality more than a lack of willingness to buy.