Russell Crowe expressed his disapproval of the plot of 'Gladiator II', particularly the characterization of Maximus's son, during an interview with Australian radio station Triple J. Crowe, who starred in the original 'Gladiator,' suggested that the sequel lacks understanding of what made the first film special, emphasizing the moral core of the character Maximus and contrasting it with elements of the sequel, including an affair that contradicts Maximus's established character.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Russell Crowe attends the "Nuremberg" premiere during 2025 AFI FEST at TCL Chinese Theater on October 24, 2025 in Hollywood, California. Speaking with Australian radio station Triple J on Monday, Crowe said, “I think the recent sequel that, you know, we don’t have to name out loud is a really unfortunate example of even the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made the first one special.
” He continued, “It wasn’t the pomp. It wasn’t the circumstance. It wasn’t the action. It was the moral core.” Ridley Scott directed both “Gladiator” and “Gladiator II,” with the latter starring Paul Mescal. Crowe does not appear in the sequel. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Paul Mescal attends the "Gladiator II" New York Special Screening hosted by GQ and Paramount Pictures at The Whitby Hotel on November 20, 2024, in New York, New York. Looking back on his time filming the original, Crowe told the radio station he had a “daily fight” to uphold Maximus’ moral code, including rejecting sex scenes that violated the loyalty he held to his wife, who was murdered during the events of the film, along with his son. “It was a daily fight to keep that moral core of the character,” he explained. “The amount of times they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus, it’s like – you’re taking away his power.”In “Gladiator II,” it’s revealed that Mescal’s character is in fact Maximus’ son, born from an affair between him and Lucilla , a former lover and sister to villain Commodus . “So you’re saying at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was f—king this other girl? What are you talking about? It’s crazy,” Crowe said of the plot line. Russell Crowe facing off against another man in a scene from the film 'Gladiator', 2000. The sequel, which also starred Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal, earned a single nomination for Best Costume Design at the 2025 Oscars.After a night of heavy rain, lingering flooding -- both the urban and river version -- are causing issues in western Washington.An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness linked to Thanksgiving meals from Kanishka Cuisine of India in Seattle has affected 35 people, prompting a public healthAn investigation is underway after a King County Sheriff's Office employee hit and killed a pedestrian early Tuesday morning, the Monroe Police Department reporIn a significant shift for the Pacific Northwest wine industry, the Wyckoff Family, an agribusiness based in the Yakima Valley, has acquired Ste. Michelle wine.Melodee Buzzard will be missing for 2 months tomorrow and Investigative reporter Anne Emerson is working to learn more about her family's dynamic, to try to und
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