Ridley Scott Admits He's 'Already Started Drawing Gladiator III' Despite Critics Sneering at Paul Mescal Sequel
Ridley Scott revealed he's already working on 'Gladiator III' amid criticism of his latest sequel.
Nov. 18 2024, Published 7:15 p.m. ET
Ridley Scott confessed he has already started planning for Gladiator III.
RadarOnline.com can reveal despite critics' harsh takes on Scott's Gladiator sequel with Paul Mescal, the famed director admitted he's "already started drawing Gladiator III".
While Scott, 86, revived the Roman epic with one of Hollywood's hottest young stars, it has failed to capture the hearts of screen critics in the same way as his 2000 hit Gladiator with Russell Crowe.
Scott revived his 2000 hit 'Gladiator' with Paul Mescal in 'Gladiator II'.
Twenty-four years after the release of Gladiator, Scott, 86, revisited the film. This time with Mescal playing a grown-up version of the boy, Lucius, from the original flick.
Mescal's character is pushed to flight by Macrinus, played by Denzel Washington – and similar to Crowe's Maximus, Lucius is seeking revenge for the murder of his wife.
Despite the film's similarities, as well as the popularity of the 2000 film, audiences haven't taken to Scott's latest flick as anticipated.
Critics applauded Denzel Washington's performance in the sequel but said they were only 'semi-entertained' with the film.
One critic on X slammed the film, writing: "GladiatorII is the ultimate example of a cash-grab sequel.
"It fails to capture any of the magic that made the original a masterpiece, with a significant drop in quality across the board — from the score and cinematography to the CGI and writing.
"The pacing is chaotic, the colosseum animal sequences are absurdly over-the-top, and the cast deserved far better than this disjointed mess. This might just be one of the biggest sequel disasters I’ve seen. 1.5/5 stars - Time to rewatch the original and cleanse my soul."
Another viewer applauded Washington's performance, writing he was "operating on a whole different level to the rest of the cast" before suggesting Mescal was miscast: "Love Paul Mescal, but he massively struggled compared to Russell Crowe’s leading performance."
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Most criticism has been aimed at Mescal, who viewers claimed failed to live up to Russell Crowe's original performance.
A third chimed in: "Was only semi-entertained with Gladiator II.
"The action sequences are great (and all contain bonkers, Looney Tunes appeal). But it takes until the 2nd hour to find its drive.
"Mescal is miscast. But Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn & Fred Hechinger are worth the show."
Other X users appeared to agree, with overwhelming criticism suggesting Mescal failed to live up to expectations as the lead actor.
Despite harsh reviews Scott confessed he's 'written 12 pages' and has begun 'drawing' a third 'Gladiator' film.
Nonetheless, the 86-year-old director is looking to the future and is apparently in the early stages of planning a third Gladiator film.
During an interview with the Times, Scott revealed: "I've already started drawing Gladiator III."
In addition to sketching out scenes, the director said he's "written 12 pages" as well.
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