Outraged Russell Crowe Slams 'Gladiator' Sequel for 'Lacking Moral Core' and For Failing to 'Understand What Made the First One So Special'
Russell Crowe has blasted the 'Gladiator' sequel, saying its makers 'failed to understand' what made the original so special.
Dec. 10 2025, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Russell Crowe has blasted the sequel to his hit movie Gladiator, claiming its makers "failed to understand" what made the original so special, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The veteran Aussie actor, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Maximus in Ridley Scott's 2000 movie, says the follow-up, also directed by Scott, was "lacking moral core" as he took the blockbuster flick apart.
Venting His Frustration
Crowe even refused to name the title of the sequel.
Crowe, 61, said: "The recent sequel that we don’t have to name out loud is a really good example of, even the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made that first one special.
"It wasn't the pomp. It wasn't the circumstance. It wasn't the action. It was the moral core."
Regarding the original film, he added: "The thing is, there was a daily fight on that set. It was a daily fight to keep that moral core of the character.
"The amount of times that they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus — it's like, you're taking away his power."
Crowe did not shoot any new scenes for Gladiator II, as Maximus was killed at the conclusion of the first movie.
Paul Mescal Plays Crowe's Son In The Sequel
Irish actor Paul Mescal plays the lead role in 'Gladiator II.'
The character, however, does briefly appear in several flashback sequences.
The lead role in the sequel, Lucius, is played by Irish actor Paul Mescal, who is revealed to be the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film).
Given that Maximus spends much of Gladiator seeking vengeance for the murder of his wife and son, Crowe believes the sequel's implication that his character and Lucilla had a secret romance that resulted in a child was a misstep.
He explained: "So you’re saying at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was f------ this other girl? What are you talking about? It's crazy."
'I Am Dead'
The Aussie previously slammed the storyline to the follow up.
Despite mixed reviews, Gladiator II was a box office smash, raking in $462million worldwide.
It also helped cement Mescal, who is seen as an early awards season frontrunner this year for his portrayal of William Shakespeare in Hamnet, as a rising star.
This isn't the first time Crowe has vented his frustration at Gladiator II.
Appearing at the Czech Republic’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival last year, he argued the new film's creative team "should be f------ paying me for the amount of questions I am asked about a film I am not even in.
"It has nothing to do with me. In that world, I am dead. Six feet under.
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Mescal's 'Gladiator' was a box office smash, despite Crowe's complaints.
"But I do admit to a certain tinge of jealousy, because it reminds me of when I was younger and what it meant for me, in my life."
Crowe told how he heard complaints about the sequel from longtime Gladiator fans who assumed he was somehow involved in the new film’s production.
"The women in Europe, when that movie started coming out, I would be at a restaurant, and they’d come talk to me (and complain)," Crowe quipped. "It's like, 'Hey, it wasn't me! I didn't do it.'"
