The New Zealand-born actor, Russell Crowe recently attracted media attention for his comments regarding the current trend of sequels. The actor, who is known for speaking his mind, was critical of one of the superhero franchises, labeling the idea of sequels as ‘lazy’, and criticizing Hollywood’s reliance on them.
The 59-year-old actor’s remarks are in line with those of many moviegoers and critics who believe that Hollywood has lost its originality and become overly dependent on sequels and franchises. However, Crowe also defended the sequel to one of his films despite his criticism of Thor 4 and other superhero movies.
His performance in the 2000 film, Gladiator as the Maximus Decimus Meridius earned him the Best Actor Oscar; he even called the film “a huge experience in my life.” Also, the actor, who is not a part of the sequel, also claimed to be “slightly jealous”.
Well, this is fascinating to note that Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 will hit theaters in November 2024, more than 20 years after the original movie’s release.
Russell Crowe Called Sequels ‘Lazy’ Despite Defending Gladiator 2
Hollywood has officially approved 137 film sequels as of this writing. One of them is the Gladiator sequel by Ridley Scott.
Russell Crowe, a star of the first film, Gladiator, will not appear in the sequel for obvious reasons, despite the fact that he believes sequels are lazy. After his press conference in Valletta, the A Beautiful Mind actor spoke with MaltaToday stating:
“Its such a rich and interesting world. It’s a great idea that Ridley has because it’s not about Maximus and. Commodus. He’s been thinking about it for a long time, he has a very sure and clear idea about how he would tell the story. It’s not a remake. It’s a different story altogether.”
As per reports, the sequel is currently being filmed in Morocco. The Unhinged actor continued by saying he does not know if Scott’s continuation will be good.
“On paper, at least, it sounds like a preposterous idea, but the cast assembled gives me hope. Also, will they stick with the title? Gladiator 2 just doesn’t sound right. I’m sticking with my advice it should be named GLADIATORS! (might as well keep the exclamation mark in there as well).
For the unversed, the sequel will feature Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Djimon Hounsou, Connie Nielsen, and Joseph Quinn in the lead roles. The film is planned to take place 25 years after the first film, whose screenplay is written by Peter Craig, and David Scarpa
How Did The Fans React To This?
Russell Crowe, a renowned actor, thinks that some movies merit other installments, despite the fact that he views sequels as a lazy money grab. As a well-known performer, he discussed his own experiences with movie series, shedding light on the creative factors that go into choosing whether to return to a well-liked character.
“Gladiator was kind of brutal as well. We made them [the audience] fall in love with the character, and then we killed that character.”
The actor’s remarks reaffirm the opinions of many moviegoers and critics who believe that Hollywood has become overly dependent on sequels at the expense of innovative, original storytelling. But his idea was also strongly bashed by fans who believed the contrary.
As he defended his own film’s sequel, so why the disparity in treatment? Why did he oppose sequels in general but support a movie he acted in? This led curious fans to respond in their fair share of ways. Let us look at some.
Moreover, the American Gangster actor said in an interview with Collider earlier this year:
“It’s [Gladiator] something that changed my life, really. Here it is, it’s 2023, and we made that film in 1999. I guarantee you, somewhere around the world tonight, Gladiator is going to be showing on primetime TV. And you don’t always get that kind of longevity with every film you do, so, it obviously holds a special place in my heart.”
Will Hollywood heed Crowe’s advice and make the effort to make truly great films rather than relying on sequels to carry the load?
The release date for Paramount’s Gladiator sequel is November 22, 2024. Thus, mark the date.
Source- Malta Today
