Russell Crowe is one of the exceptional talents that have graced the audience with his outstanding talent. The actor is undoubtedly versatile and has done a plethora of roles in his career which showed depth and originality. As a result, the actor enjoys a global following and recognition all over, winning major awards such as the BAFTA, SAG, and even an Academy Award for Best Actor, which has cemented him as a respected name in the movie industry.
One of the most iconic roles of the actor was Maximus Decimus Meridius in the historical epic Gladiator. The Far Side of the World actor was praised for his portrayal of the character with great depth and fans praised his performance in the film. However, Russell Crowe did not have a good first opinion of the 2000 film directed by Ridley Scott.
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Russell Crowe Shares His Opinion of Gladiator
During an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, Russell Crowe shared that he was not impressed by the first script of the movie, calling it “absolutely rubbish.” He stated that he had faith in his abilities, however, the historical world created by the writers of the script made him unsure of the film, as it was full of strange scenes.
“I was confident about my abilities as a leading man. What I wasn’t confident about with ‘Gladiator’ was the world that was surrounding me. At the core of what we were doing was a great concept but the script, it was rubbish, absolute rubbish. And it had all these sorts of strange sequences.”
The Poker Face actor doubted the integrity of the script because the writers of the script wanted to add brand endorsements to a historical epic film.
“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 Scott (director) that sort of gave me faith.”
Russell Crowe stated that he was completely “blown away” when he saw the complete movie during the screening. The actor also stated that when he watched the film with the audience, he freaked out because he felt like a kid, and he enjoyed how much the audience loved the film and form a strong connection with it.
“And when I first saw it with a crowd, that’s when it really freaked me out because it was like going to a movie when I was a kid. People were so connected to the film and they were voicing that connection. They are not just connected to it, but they love it with a passion.”
Well, this comes as no surprise, because fans of the movie love the epic film for its stellar performance from the star-studded cast. The film was a massive success at the Box Office as it earned $452.3 million worldwide, and won numerous awards which include five Oscars.
Ridley Scott Comes Up with Gladiator 2
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is one of the best historical drama films that has aged like a fine wine, the film had strong elements such as a gripping plot, great action scenes, visually stunning, and a standing ovation-worthy performance by the cast of the film which included the likes of Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, and many more.
The film ended with the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius, with many people believing that was the end of the story. However, ardent fans of the film have been asking for a sequel of the film, and it looks like they will be getting one, as Ridley Scott has decided to make a sequel of the smash-hit film.
The script has been written by Peter Craig, who is known for writing Top Gun: Maverick and The Batman which were two of the highest-grossing films in Hollywood in recent years. While the plot of the sequel remains unknown to the audience, Spencer Treat Clark has been officially cast for the sequel, and the production for the film might begin in May, with the release date still unknown.
Gladiator can be rented on Amazon.
Source: Vanity Fair
