As a die-hard fan of epic cinema and a connoisseur of historical dramas, I must say that the upcoming release of “Gladiator II” has me absolutely thrilled! The prospect of witnessing Russell Crowe back in his iconic role as Maximus Decimus Meridius, alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus, is nothing short of exhilarating.
Ridley Scott has been trying to squeeze a rhinoceros into the Colosseum for 25 years.
In the year 1999, while filming the original Gladiator, he discussed with animal trainers about incorporating an actual 6,000-pound rhino into the set, but they advised that these animals with horns were challenging to manage. Later, he consulted CGI experts to explore if a digital version could be created for the film, only to discover that the technology required for such a task was prohibitively costly.
Over the span of nearly a quarter-century, that infamous line from our epic game sessions became a constant joke between me and the crew. “If we ever make a sequel,” Doug Wick, my producer, joked in an interview back in 2020, “Ridley will finally get his rhino.
Indeed, they’ve made a sequel, and Ridley now has a cutting-edge, remotely operated animatronic rhino, expertly crafted by Industrial Light and Magic, capable of reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour – all while being manned by a swordsman.
“Our rhino was real,” Scott brags, “right down to his legs.”
Discussions about a sequel to the movie “Gladiator” started almost immediately after it was released in May 2000, especially when it won five Academy Awards, including the one for best picture. However, one major challenge in producing “Gladiator II” was that both the protagonist, Russell Crowe’s Maximus, and the antagonist, Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus, die at the end of “Gladiator.
In 1999, I found myself pondering, “Ought we to take their lives or spare them?” as I deliberated over my directorial choice concerning the film’s main characters. However, it struck me as the most impactful and enduring decision, as it echoed profoundly about immortality since it was a story deeply rooted in that theme.
Over the subsequent years, the industrious Scott, now aged 86, directed 17 films that were not based in ancient Rome, with two of them taking place in space (2012’s “Prometheus” and 2017’s “Alien: Covenant”). However, the concept of revisiting the grand Colosseum persistently refused to fade away.
Scott mentions that he heard repeatedly from individuals that the movie Gladiator was their top pick. One person even claimed to have viewed it an astounding 50 times. This piqued his interest.
Over the years, multiple ideas for a sequel script have been proposed. Initially, Gladiator’s co-writer John Logan attempted a follow-up, and a prequel was one of the ideas considered. However, when this concept was deemed unsuitable, Nick Cave was invited to develop a more intricate idea, a fantasy tale where Maximus reappeared as an immortal warrior, popping up during significant historical events, from ancient times right up to World War II. Unfortunately, this concept failed to coalesce, and the project came to a halt following Paramount’s acquisition of DreamWorks’ live-action library in 2006.
As a gamer, I’ve always had a passion for immersive storytelling, and that’s exactly what Scott, my friend and renowned writer David Scarpa, have been crafting over the years. After collaborating on his 2017 drama “All the Money in the World” and the upcoming “Napoleon” biopic, we found a compelling narrative for “Gladiator II.” Unlike revisiting Maximus from the past, our story unfolds two decades later, focusing on Maximus’ son, Lucius. In the original film, Spencer Treat Clark portrayed young Lucius, while in this sequel, Paul Mescal steps into his shoes as a grown man.
Scarpa emphasizes that when handling the theme, one must consider people’s emotional connections and personal feelings towards the original movie. For Scott, it wasn’t about simply recreating the successes of the first film; instead, he aimed for a fresh take on the world established in the original.
Indeed, another significant challenge was locating an actor who possessed the necessary weight to embody Maximus Junior, and it took some time before Scott eventually settled on Mescal. Previously, Timothée Chalamet and Miles Teller were potential candidates, but one evening, as Scott was immersed in the Hulu series Normal People, he spotted Mescal and instantly visualized the then relatively unknown 28-year-old Irish actor donning a codpiece.
Wick and Lucy Fisher had lunch with Mescal to evaluate if he was capable of tackling a role demanding both physically and mentally. They found him suitable. Later, Daria Cercek and Michael Ireland, co-presidents of Paramount’s film division, traveled to London to witness Mescal portray Stanley Kowalski in a West End revival of A Streetcar Named Desire. His powerful performance, which earned him an Olivier Award, convinced them. Wick acknowledges that studios often prefer established stars, but no other actor came even close to Mescal’s talent.
After several minutes on a video conference with Scott, Mescal was almost certain to land the role. However, according to Mescal’s account, he briefly pondered over it before ultimately accepting the part.
He expresses that he might have felt hesitant about deciding on the initial major studio movie since it establishes his acting identity. However, a movie like “Gladiator II” is an aspiration when it comes to studio-backed, large-scale filmmaking because it’s under the direction of Ridley Scott and deeply explores human emotions with a powerful emotional narrative.
As much as I might’ve yearned for acting advice from Crowe, given his sentiments about not being part of Gladiator II, I found it beneficial to maintain some space between us. After all, I needed to carve out my own path in gaming, and that required focusing on my own journey.
Scott rounded out the main cast with some well-known faces, including Connie Nielsen, who returns to her role from the first film – Maximus’ former lover and Lucius’ mother – and Washington, who starred in Scott’s 2007 crime drama “American Gangster” (opposite Crowe) and was close friends with Scott’s late brother, Tony, having collaborated on five films together. As Scott said to THR, “Ridley’s one of the best, so I called him up and he asked when.” However, Scott also brought in fresh talents for significant roles, such as Joseph Quinn, known for his role as Eddie Munson on “Stranger Things”, as Emperor Geta. Initially, Barry Keoghan was chosen to portray Geta’s brother Caracalla, but he left the project before filming started due to scheduling issues and was replaced by Fred Hechinger, who will soon appear as Dimitri in Marvel’s “Kraven the Hunter.” When Hechinger received the call from his agent about landing the role, he was driving and had to pull over because the news overwhelmed him. As he recalls, “I realized I had to stop the car and park because my mind was spinning too much to continue driving.
Filming commenced in May 2023, with scenes being shot in Morocco and Malta as the desert temperatures began to rise for summer. Mescal, who had undergone intense physical training and followed a high-protein diet consisting mainly of chicken, faced difficulties during some of the scorching action sequences. “There were instances where I might have experienced borderline heat stroke,” he admits. “It’s hard to replenish your body with enough water in that kind of heat. However, I consider myself fortunate – nothing serious happened.
During filming, Washington faced a unique challenge – donning multiple pounds of intricate gold accessories. David Crossman and Janty Yates, who won an Oscar for their work on the original Gladiator, adorned him with an array of ancient Roman jewelry that could fill a museum. As Yates humorously recounts, “We kept adding more gold, then some more, and even more.” On the other hand, Quinn shares fond memories of their leisure moments during the Malta shoot, where they focused on building a brotherly bond with Hechinger. They spent their downtime eating, laughing, drinking, and chatting as much as possible.
The scale of the sets would have awed a Caesar, with the one in Malta, where Scott re-created a section of the Colosseum, stretching a quarter of a mile. “If you left your sun hat behind, you’d really have to think hard about going back to get it,” remembers cinematographer John Mathieson, who was nominated for an Oscar for the original film. Other portions of the sets were repurposed from leftover bits and pieces of older Scott productions. “We created a port by recycling my old Jerusalem set from [Scott’s 2005] Kingdom of Heaven,” notes production designer Arthur Max, who was also nominated for the first Gladiator.
The true cost of producing “Gladiator II” remains a longstanding enigma, similar to the whereabouts of the ninth Roman legion. While Paramount claims the figure was less than $250 million, Ridley Scott asserts he managed to save $10 million on production costs. Yet, rumors persist that the actual expenses exceeded $300 million due to strike disruptions and various complications. Regardless of the exact amount spent, it’s evident that a significant portion went towards creating the film’s visually impressive action scenes and grand Roman opulence.
According to Wick, every detail was thoughtfully examined and needed justification, much like a rhinoceros. However, when it comes to creating action sequences, he doesn’t want repetition of the fights seen in the initial film.
One sequence the team dug in their heels to include was a scene in which the Colosseum was flooded for a nautical battle between a boatload of Romans and a ship full of gladiators. As preposterous as it sounds, it turns out to be historically accurate. According to Dr. Shadi Bartsch, a classics professor at the University of Chicago, the ancient Romans really did sometimes fill the Colosseum with water for mock sea warfare, though Scott’s decision to add sharks to the pool was, in her words, “total Hollywood bullshit. I don’t think Romans knew what a shark was.”
Scott begs to differ with the professor. “Accuracy is everything,” he insists.
Despite its grandiose excesses, the production stood as an exemplary lesson in cinematic economy, with Scott orchestrating over eleven cameras for each scene. However, there were some hiccups along the way – a monkey belonging to Emperor Caracalla unexpectedly bit Hechinger (resulting in a minor injury), and a fire stunt accident resulted in several crew members being hospitalized due to burns. Nevertheless, Scott managed to complete the entire film within approximately 50 days of principal photography, with the team recovering swiftly from their ordeals.
Despite the main fight in “Gladiator II” not occurring within the Colosseum, the real battle unfolds in cinemas when the film premieres on November 22, coincidentally on the same day as Universal’s highly anticipated adaptation of “Wicked”. Cinema owners are fantasizing about a weekend reminiscent of Barbenheimer-style success – perhaps they’re calling it ‘Glicked vs Wickiator’? Both films are expected to draw massive audiences, and it’s not just the theater owners who have ambitious plans. “As a musical enthusiast, it’s thrilling to see large-scale musical productions, especially with our release coinciding with theirs,” shares Mescal, who has already watched the “Wicked” movie and enjoyed it. “Here’s hoping it’ll be a triumph for cinema.
Regarding Scott, he personally admits that he’s not preoccupied with anticipating the movie’s reception; he’s wary after tough lessons, choosing not to overly rely on its success. However, not everyone in his team shares this calm outlook.
Washington remarks that Ridley, who has been nominated for the Oscars three times, is long overdue for a win. He finds it hard to comprehend that such a talented director hasn’t received an Oscar yet. In truth, he doesn’t find it plausible.
Should the rare misfortune of ‘Gladiator II’ stumbling occur (and based on the overwhelmingly positive whispers from preliminary viewings, I highly doubt it will), Ridley Scott has graciously left the door open for a potential ‘Gladiator III’. Intriguingly, he hints that blueprints for a sequel to this sequel are already in motion, albeit with him keeping tight-lipped about its tantalizing storyline. All he’ll divulge is that there’s a faint outline emerging, a soft footprint, if you will, of what’s to come.
Regarding the upcoming thriller “Dog Stars,” Mescal has expressed his readiness to collaborate with the director once more and potentially take on a role requiring a codpiece. He mentioned, “We haven’t discussed it extensively yet, but the prospect excites me.
I just stumbled upon an interesting article in the November 20th issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. If you’d like to read more, consider subscribing!
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-11-21 20:25