Ridley Scott: “Gladiator 2 Has My Biggest Action Sequence Ever”

Ahead of the release of *Gladiator 2*, director Ridley Scott provided insights to *Empire* about the action audiences can expect from the sequel.

Known for his epic battle scenes in films ranging from 2005’s *Kingdom of Heaven* to 2023’s *Napoleon*, Scott revealed that the sequences in *Gladiator 2* surpass anything he has previously done. He mentioned, “We begin the film with probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done. Probably bigger than anything in *Napoleon*.”

The film features Paul Mescal as Lucious, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who was the antagonist in the original movie. The initial film, released in 2000, depicted Lucius as a young adult in Numidia. Now, he finds himself back in Rome as a gladiator, facing new enemies while reuniting with his mother.

Scott has kept additional details about the upcoming sequel under wraps. Speaking about modern technological advancements like AI, he said, “Computerization and AI — you have to embrace it. I can have a computer read every molecule and wrinkle on a rhino and then cut it on a thick piece of plastic, accurately mimicking a rhino’s body, which is then tailored to a skeleton shape.” He further elaborated, “I have this thing that can do 40 miles an hour, spin on the spot, wag its head, and snarl. A two-ton rhino with a guy on its back! I mean, it’s a lot of fun.”

*Gladiator 2* arrives in theaters on November 22.

Source: Empire