Ridley Scott teases plans for ‘Gladiator III’ amid sequel success

Ridley Scott reveals plans for 'Gladiator III,' promising a storyline that explores Lucius's reluctant rise to power.

Following the box office success of Gladiator II, Ridley Scott is already hinting at a third installment in the action-epic franchise. The 87-year-old director shared his vision for Gladiator III, comparing Lucius's story to Michael Corleone's in The Godfather Part II. "The next film will focus on a man who doesn’t want to be where he is," Scott explained, referencing Lucius's reluctant grasp of power following his victories over Macrinus and the Emperors, Geta and Caracalla.

Scott confirmed he’s already drafted the first eight pages of the script and plans to take the franchise in a new direction. “I don’t think you’d ever go back into the arena,” he noted, though Lucius’s path to leadership may still involve elements of the gladiatorial world. Lead actor Paul Mescal is eager to reprise his role, saying, “I’m massively down for it.”

While the sequel won’t happen immediately—Scott is next directing a Bee Gees biopic—fans are already speculating about the deeper themes in Gladiator III. Scott hinted that the philosophical writings of Marcus Aurelius, portrayed in the first film, might influence the sequel’s direction, describing Aurelius as a complex figure with modern parallels.