With Ridley Scott currently in production on Gladiator 2 and Russell Crowe making the press rounds, the actor is constantly asked about the movie, which is funny because he has really nothing to do with it. I don’t understand what people keep asking him about the movie because he’s made it very clear that he doesn’t know anything, and he doesn’t understand why people keep asking him questions about it as well.

Despite the fact that Maximus died in Gladiator and Crowe repeatedly confirming he’s not returning to the role in the sequel, people just keep asking him about it. In a recent appearance at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, the actor said that he’s sick of answering questions about the movie and that they should be paying him for it.

“They should be f*cking 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. 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.

“I don’t know anything about the cast, I don’t know anything about the plot. I am dead! But I know that if Ridley has decided to do a second part of the story, over 20 years later, he must have had very strong reasons. I can’t think of this movie being anything other than spectacular.”

So, uh… maybe journalists should stop asking him questions about the film. You know what the funny thing is, though… they won’t stop.

What we do know about the movie is that it centers on Lucius, the son of Lucilla and nephew of Commodus, the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father and seized the throne. Commodus met his downfall in the gladiator ring against Maximus, who despite being mortally wounded, took down the emperor before passing on to reunite with his family. Maximus had saved Lucius and his mother, leaving a lasting impact on the young boy.

The movie stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen back as Lucilla, and Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn as Emperor Caracalla. Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) will also play Emperor Geta.

Paramount Pictures will release the film on November 22, 2024.

Via: Variety