Apparently the sequel to Gladiator is in the works, with director Ridley Scott ready to produce the film. An early version of the script calls for Russell Crowe to square off against Lucius (the young son of Lucius Verus in the movie) who apparently has gone bad in the intervening years. The problem is bringing Russell Crowe back to life since he died from his wounds suffered in his duel with Commodus. One scenario that is a bit different has Crowe appearing in the visions of a younger man and guiding his actions, not unlike Obi-wan Kenobi in the Star Wars series, and the younger man may indeed be an early Christian soldier according to reports. Anyway, for anyone who watched the film which notched Oscars for Scott, Crowe, and won best movie of 2000 it will be interesting to see how the project unfolds. Coin-related? Well, yes - Lucilla handed coins to Cicero, Crowe's attendant in the original film.
I've heard Murmillos can be brought down with a well placed telephone throw, while a Scutarius is better defended against Russell's signature move In all seriousness, I'm glad to hear they are doing a sequel!
The original was a good movie, but I couldn't enjoy it as much, knowing how inaccurate it all was. And I've never understood the obsession with 1) portraying Commodus as some sort of thirty-something effeminate man-child, and 2) Portraying Marcus Aurelius as pushing 80. If you ask me, if they had to make one period of Roman history into a movie, I would like to see either the civil war of 193 or 238.
And it would be a flop. The problem with this is that it's relatable only to history buffs. The world at large is ignorant of what happened on these dates. Nobody cares that a handful of nobodies were duking it out several millenia ago. On the other hand, Commodus, like Nero and Caligula, was pure evil. That gives you a ready-made villain. Combine that with the ever-appealing stage (ancient Rome) and all you need is a little story to hold it all together for a Hollywood blockbuster recipe. Hollywood, as is TV and pretty much any other broadcast presentation, is about making money. Minor historical tiffs are suitable for doctoral dissertations and maybe the occasional low-budget PBS special.
Yeah Commodus was incorrectly shown beardless for some reason. Can't count on Hollywood for accuracy. Also, Marcus Aurelius never intended, as far as we know to make Rome a republic again. Here's a Commodus tet from Alexandria.
I would rather see a remake of Hannibal, where he destroyed the Republican armies at Cannae. Russell Crowe would be great as Hannibal, looks like him in fact. Theme realted my Lucilla .
Lucius Verus Sestertius L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate head of Lucius Verus right TR POT VI IMP IIII COS II SC Victory standing right holding palm in right hand and shield inscribed VIC PAR Rome 166 AD 21.73g Sear 5384 RIC 1456
Sounds like a recipe for disaster if they go this route. Why not keep it simple? Crowe's character went into a coma instead of dying at the end of the first film. After all, it's set in ancient times and a coma could easily be mistaken for death!
You are absolutely right @David Atherton . It is very plausible. I have two teenagers who were in a coma for 4 or 5 years but they finally got out of it....
Not to mention that it was well known that Commodus was anointed as the successor. Other than awesome gladiator scenes, I don't think they got a thing right.
Yeah, I wonder where they dreamed up the Maximus character. There is a mention of a Maximus in the early part of Aurelius' Meditations...
Maximus from the movie was a synthesis of: 1. Pompeianus, Lucilla's second husband. She planned to make him emperor after she killed Commodus, but failed. After Commodus was dispatched, he was offered the Principate more than once during the events of 193. 2. Aemilian became emperor in 253 after killing Gallus and Volusian. The Senate refused to ratify him, but he reportedly swore an oath to use the office of the Principate to vanquish the Goths and Persians, and then abdicate and dissolve that office, restoring the Republic - this is why a quasi-usurper is called Aemilianus Pius on his coins. I still think that Maximinus Thrax, Decius, or Valerian would make a better movie than whatever Hollywood is currently cooking up.
