Having a strong script doesn’t necessarily confirm a movie’s success which was proved by Gladiator back in 2000. Starring Russell Crowe in the main lead with director Ridley Scott as the director of the film, Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Film but it had its fair share of complications.
In an interview, Russell Crowe revealed the difficulties they faced while shooting the movie. Stating that the script was only 21 pages long (compared to normal scripts being around 110), Crowe and Scott had to come up with the story impromptu and commence the shooting!
Russell Crowe Created Gladiator In The “Dumbest possible way”!
Gladiator has indeed become the stuff of legend in Hollywood. The 2000 film starred Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix in opposite roles and the film was helmed as one of the finest ever made. In an interview, however, Crowe revealed that the creation of the movie wasn’t even remotely perfect or orderly.
The movie eventually went on to win an Oscar for the category of Best Picture along with 4 other Oscar titles to its name and 7 other Oscar nominations. Russell Crowe revealed in an interview that when the production of the film started, the script was only 21 pages long. The actor jokingly said that it was just him and Ridley Scott connecting pieces and referred to the method as the “dumbest possible way to make a film”.
“It had 21 pages when we started shooting, your average script is about 110. Well, it’s me and Ridley working together, but it’s also—you know, it’s the dumbest possible way to make a film,”
He further revealed that he essentially “dodged a bullet” by starring in Gladiator since it won the Oscar for Best Picture but it was quite the risk that Russell Crowe had taken.
“We occasionally get together and have a drink, and laugh about what sort of a bullet was that we dodged. Not only did we get it done, it was the best film. It won the Oscar for best film.”
This isn’t the first time that Crowe has publicly spoken about the chaotic script of Gladiator. In an interview with Variety back in 2016, the actor stated that the script was completely rubbish and that there were weird product placements of olive oils on chariots to bring a sense of realism to their world!
Russell Crowe Removed Product Placement On The Chariots
Wanting to portray the world of the Romans in all their glory and realism, director Ridley Scott had the brilliant idea of placing posters of various products such as olive oil and other products on chariots. This was supposed to bring more detail and would be true to history as the gladiators endorsed products back in the day. Russell Crowe’s answer forced Scott to remove these product placements.
“That’s all true but it’s just not going to ring right to a modern audience. They’re going to go, ‘What the f*ck is all this?’ The energy around what we were doing was very fractured. I did think a couple times, ‘Maybe my best option is just to get on a plane and get out of here.’ It was my continued conversations with Ridley that sort of gave me faith.”
Director Ridley Scott is rumored to be busy shooting the sequel to his 2000 classic movie. Gladiator 2 will star Paul Mescal in the lead alongside an entirely different cast. The movie is set for a release date of 22nd November 2024.
Source: BBC Radio 1
