At the dawn of 2000, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator starring Russell Crowe was released which became one of the most popular films of not only that year but also in years to come. The actor gave a phenomenal performance in that film which paved him way to work on numerous big projects as he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Fans started calling him the greatest actor of our generation, and despite playing so many iconic roles, fans remembered him as Maximus Decimus Meridius.
The historical epic drama film set in Rome was Russell Crowe’s biggest film, and his final duel against Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus at the Roman Colosseum is one of the most iconic duels in the motion picture timeline. However, Crowe had often expressed his dissatisfaction with the script of the film, undergoing many changes. And one such change was the fate of the character which the actor decided while working halfway through the production, as the decision felt right with the premise of the film.
Russell Crowe Decides The Fate of Maximus Decimus Meridius
During an exclusive interview with Empire Magazine, Russell Crowe looked back at the moment, when he was working in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, which earned $452.2 million worldwide at the box office. The Unhinged actor shared that he changed the fate of his character after the production for the film had already started because the character’s “My name is Maximus” speech was “basically a suicide note” and he wanted to unleash vengeance on Commodus.
“I remember [director] Ridley [Scott] coming up to me on set saying, ‘Look, the way this is shaping up, I don’t see how you live. This character is about one act of pure vengeance for his wife and child, and, once he’s accomplished that, what does he do?’”
Crowe said. “And my joke used to be, ‘Yeah, what does Maximus do? Does he end up running a f**king pizzeria by the Colosseum?’ He has a singular purpose, which is to meet his wife in the afterlife and apologize for not being there for her. And that’s it.”
The Robin Hood actor shared that the death felt meaningful to the character, as it gave meaning to the character’s duel with Commodus, and his spine-chilling speech felt more epic to hear.
Russell Crowe Felt Gladiator’s Script Was Full of Strange Sequences
In spite of winning an Academy Award, Russell Crowe has criticized Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, the script co-written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson, was “absolutely rubbish” and full of bizarre scenes, as chariots would have brand endorsements deals from olive oil and other products.
“At the core of what we were doing was a great concept, but the script was rubbish, absolute rubbish. It had all these sorts of strange sequences. One of them was about chariots and how famous gladiators — and this is all true — used certain types of chariots and how famous gladiators had endorsement deals for olive oil and things like that. It’s all true, but it’s just not going to ring right to a modern audience, they’re going to, ‘What the f*** is all this?’”
Russell Crowe found working in the film quite absurd and he has admitted that it made him freak out so much that he wanted to board the plane and quit the plane. However, the actor was given faith by Ridley Scott that the film will be legendary, and remembered for eons to come.
Gladiator can be streamed on Paramount+ or rented on Amazon Instant Video.
Source: Empire Magazine
