Mel Gibson Reveals Why He Passed on ‘Gladiator’ Lead Role

by

The triumph of Gladiator II the previous year was hardly unexpected, given that viewers had eagerly anticipated a sequel for over two decades following Ridley Scott’s initial masterpiece. As Mel Gibson suggested, the outcome might have been very different if he hadn’t already been tied to another project and Russell Crowe had not taken on the role of Maximus Decimus Meridius instead.

Over the weekend at MegaCon Orlando, as reported by ScreenRant, Mel Gibson was on a panel discussing his film career. It was during this discussion that he shared an interesting tidbit – that Ridley Scott had proposed him for the role of Maximus in Gladiator. With hits like Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory, Payback, and Ransom under his belt in the ’90s, Gibson seemed a perfect fit for the part. However, due to scheduling conflicts, he had to decline the offer. As a result, the question of “What if?” has lingered in Gibson’s mind regarding Gladiator.

Mel Gibson mentioned at MegaCon Orlando that Ridley Scott wanted him for Gladiator, but scheduling issues prevented him from taking the role. This leaves Gibson wondering “What if?” about how things could have turned out with Gladiator.

Reflecting on past opportunities, one can’t help but think, “If only I had taken that chance.” Ridley Scott offered me Gladiator, but I was occupied with The Patriot at the time, so Russell Crowe got the role instead. He did a fantastic job, and it’s intriguing to ponder the paths not taken.

The following year after its release, Gladiator garnered a total of 12 Academy Award nominations and ended up winning five, among them Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe, marking his single Oscar win throughout his extensive career. One might ponder if the film would have been as beloved had Gibson played the lead role instead, or if other potential picks for Maximus such as Tom Cruise or Antonio Banderas were chosen. However, considering it’s been around 25 years since its premiere, it’s challenging to envision anyone else in the main character besides Crowe, which highlights the powerful impact of his portrayal that continues to captivate audiences through the decades.

What’s Next for Mel Gibson?

Despite Gibson not taking on the role of Maximus in Gladiator, he persisted in his pursuit of stardom as an actor and director within Hollywood. However, it’s worth noting that his most recent directorial project, Flight Risk, received unfavorable reviews from both fans and critics and only managed to gross $34 million against a production budget of $25 million.

Despite facing challenges, the megastar continues to pursue his favorite endeavor: filmmaking. Following the completion of “Flight Risk”, it seems he’s planning to delve into the life of Jesus Christ once more, much like he did in his 2004 movie “The Passion of the Christ”. Gibson recently disclosed on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he intends to commence filming the sequel – titled “The Resurrection of Christ” – potentially in 2026. “I’m hoping next year sometime,” he said. “There’s a lot required because it’s like an intense, mind-altering journey. I’ve never encountered anything quite like it.”

It seems that Gibson is planning a unique take on the story of Jesus, suggesting that he will delve deeply into the story’s origins by exploring the fall of angels and the realms of hell and Sheol. This idea certainly piques our interest, so we’ll eagerly await any developments if they materialize.

For now, feel free to watch both versions of “Gladiator” currently streaming on Paramount+. Also, mark your calendars for February 14th as “Flight Risk” will be available on all Video On Demand platforms, having been released in theaters just three weeks prior.

Read More

2025-02-11 20:31