Ridley Scott teases 'Gladiator 3', says he has 'lit the fuse'

Los Angeles: Filmmaker Ridley Scott has teased that he is already toying with the idea for a third Gladiator movie.

Scott, who directed the multiple Oscar-winning movie Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, in 2000, is currently awaiting Gladiator II, which will open in cinemas worldwide in November.

In an interview with French magazine Premiere, the Oscar-nominated director hinted at plans to complete the trilogy with a third film in the future.

"With that, I’m already toying with the idea of ​​Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse," Scott said.

"The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next (film) will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is," he added.

Gladiator II is set two decades after the events of the Crowe-led movie.

It features Paul Mescal in the role of a grown-up Lucius, who was portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark in the original film.

The story follows Lucius living in the northern African region of Numidia where he was earlier sent by his mother Lucilla to stay away from the reach of the Roman Empire. However, he is forced to enter the Colosseum and fight to return glory to the people of Rome.

Gladiator II also stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger and Connie Nielsen, who reprises her role as Lucius’ mother Lucilla from the first part.