“The recent sequel that we don’t have to name out loud,” the Academy-award winning actor began, before adding that it lacked “moral core.”
Russell Crowe was not a fan of the sequel to his award winning film Gladiator.
While appearing on Australian radio show Triple J, the Academy-award winner made some swipes at Gladiator II, which starred Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal.
“The recent sequel that we don’t 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,” Crowe said.
“It wasn’t the pomp. It wasn’t the circumstance. It wasn’t the action. It was the moral core,” he continued.
He added: “And 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 – it’s like, you’re taking away his power.”
The storyline of Gladiator II was that Maximus was the father of a child outside of his marriage, a boy named Lucius, played by Mescal. This, to Crowe, seemed completely out of left field and didn’t align with the character he portrayed in the original film.
“So, you’re saying, at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was f–king this other girl? What are you talking about? It’s crazy,” he added.
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The Australian actor and director recalled fans of the film sharing their similar thoughts on the sequel.
“The women in Europe, when that movie started coming out, I would be at a restaurant, and they’d come talk to me [and complain]. It’s like, “Hey, it wasn’t me! I didn’t do it,”‘ he laughed.
The reviews for Gladiator II were mixed, with the Guardian calling the movie a “thrilling spectacle” and describing Paul as a “formidable lead.” However, Variety’s said it was a “solid piece of neoclassical popcorn” and “ultimately a mere shadow” of the original.
