{"id":702853,"date":"2025-12-09T21:30:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T18:30:45","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-12-09T21:30:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T18:30:45","slug":"russell-crowe-criticizes-gladiator-ii-for-not-understanding-what-made-that-first-one-special","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/russell-crowe-criticizes-gladiator-ii-for-not-understanding-what-made-that-first-one-special\/","title":{"rendered":"Russell Crowe Criticizes \u2018Gladiator II\u2019 for Not \u201cUnderstanding What Made That First One Special\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tRussell Crowe clearly was not entertained by last year\u2019s Gladiator II.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n\tThe actor, who won the best actor Oscar for his role as Maximus in Ridley Scott\u2018s 2000 epic Gladiator<\/em>, sat down for a conversation with Australian radio station Trip<\/a>le J. As shared<\/a> on social media<\/a>, Crowe explained that he had issues with Scott\u2019s 2024 sequel having revealed that his late character had an illegitimate son with Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), despite Maximus having been depicted in the first film as focused on avenging the death of his wife, portrayed by Giannina Facio. Crowe did not film any scenes for the Paramount follow-up that focuses on Maximus\u2019 son, played by Paul Mescal.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe recent sequel that we don\u2019t have to name out loud is a really good example of, even the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made that first one special,\u201d Crowe said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t the pomp. It wasn\u2019t the circumstance. It wasn\u2019t the action. It was the moral core.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHe added about the initial movie, \u201cAnd the thing is, there was a daily fight on that set. It was a daily fight to keep that moral core of the character. The amount of times that they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus \u2014 it\u2019s like, you\u2019re taking away his power.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCrowe went on to say that he didn\u2019t understand how the first feature would make sense if Maximus was also in a relationship with Lucilla: \u201cSo, you\u2019re saying, at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was fucking this other girl? What are you talking about? It\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\tThe actor also noted that he heard from unhapp<\/a>y Gladiator<\/em> fans after the sequel hit theaters last November. \u201cThe women in Europe, when that movie started coming out, I would be at a restaurant, and they\u2019d come talk to me [and complain],\u201d Crowe recalled with a laugh. \u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, it wasn\u2019t me! I didn\u2019t do it.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tGladiator II<\/em> also starred Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn and Pedro Pascal and surpassed $462 million at the global box office. Unlike the awards success of the first film \u2014 which amassed 12 Oscar nominations and five wins, including best picture \u2014 the follow-up nabbed just one nomination for costume design.<\/p>\n

\n\tDuring an interview last year with The Hollywood Reporter<\/em>, Gladiator II<\/em> screenwriter David Scarpa discussed the challenges of creating a story that still aimed to honor the original. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou have to deal with people\u2019s emotional relationship to [the original] movie and to their proprietary feelings about it,\u201d the scribe said at the time. \u201cAs much as Ridley wanted the continuity of the world, he was not going to just do a greatest hits album of the first movie.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n