Gladiatoris one ofRidley Scott’s most iconic films, and most of it is thanks toRussell Crowe.
Crowe’s performance as general-turned-gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius is the axis on whichGladiator’s narrative turns.
He’s able to hit both emotional beats and action-packed sequences easily.
Custom Image by Nimesh Niyomal
Shockingly, Russell Crowe wasn’t the first choice for Maximus.
“Everywhere I went in Europe there were arenas…
I began to think to myself this must have been a hell of a franchise.
Image via Universal Pictures
Franzoni picked up the bookThose About To DiebyDaniel P. Mannix, and was struck with inspiration.
(Ironically,Roland Emmerichwould turnThose About To Dieinto a streaming series for Peacock.)
And we were all sort of hoping theyd say no,” explained Franzoni.
The time has come to get horn-y.
Those actors includedTom Cruise,Antonio Banderas, and surprisingly,Mel Gibson.
But Russell eventually won the role due to his workonL.A.
In ancient Rome, after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, loyal general Maximus is betrayed and sentenced to death by the new emperor, Commodus. Escaping execution, Maximus is enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator, where his skills and honor lead him toward a path of vengeance and redemption.
Even the character didn’t, you know wasn’t, existent on the pages.
But one of the best bits of dialogue wasn’t even in the script.
