Before this next version of Gladiator 2 it was done, Ridley Scott pitched the studio a very different idea for a sequel: a supernatural story that brought Massimo back to life.
He initially shared his idea for this concept back in 2017, but with the sequel’s imminent release, the director has spoken about it again.
During an interview with Empire, Scott shared, “I had this really cool idea, a very comic book idea. I’m very much a comic book person. I thought, if we find out that in the blood and the war, a dying warrior becomes the portal for Maximus to come back from the dead, what do you think?
“I don’t mean to say he’ll come back to life through his mouth, but I would figure out a way to bring him back to life. […] But this didn’t go down well with the nobles. They found it ridiculous.”
Scotto, Nick’s Cave AND Russel Crowe, the greatest crime novelist, is a businessman. they had all talked about this concept and written it down. Scott had said earlier: “Russell, me and Nick Cave, it was about bringing it back. It was a good idea.
“It’s somewhere on the Dreamworks shelf… [Russell] he said listen. I have some ideas, ‘What can we do for Gladiator?’ I said, ‘I can bring you back.’
“That’s how it started. He had worked with Nick Cave, so we talked about it, the three of us, and from there a script was born.”
One script that was written was Cave’s Gladiator 2: Christ Slayerwhich featured Maximus emerging from purgatory on a mission to kill Christ. Scott said he and Cave made a “reasonable pitch to DreamWorks” on the script, but “it never got any further.”
This would have been a really interesting story and a very unconventional sequel, which is what I love about the pitch! It’s unique, it’s fun, and it’s weird! I have no doubt that it would have been a crazy sequel!
The studio obviously didn’t see the potential. But, years later, Scott was given the opportunity to make a sequel to Gladiator, but this one is much more in line with historical events and characters.
What do you think of Scott’s original supernatural idea for Gladiator 2? Do you think it would have worked or would have been good?
by Joey Fear
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
