'Gladiator' Sequel in the Works

Ridley Scott and Paramount are hoping that audiences were so entertained by Gladiator almost two decades ago that they want a sequel. The director and the studio are reportedly developing a sequel to the 2000 Best Picture Oscar-winner.

Since the original film ended with Russell Crowe's Maximus dying, the new film will follow the adventures of Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who was the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), reports Deadline. In the original film, Maximus killed Commodus in the arena, even though he was mortally wounded himself. Maximus saved Lucilla and Lucius' lives and his actions have inspired Lucius.

The new film will be written by Peter Craig, who co-wrote The Town, two Hunger Games movies, 12 Strong and the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. He also finished the script for Warner Bros.' Logan's Run remake and will next adapt Stags for Fox 2000.

The original Gladiator was made by DreamWorks and released by Universal internationally. Paramount is developing the sequel though, with Scott's Scott Free banner leading the charge. Universal could return to co-finance, but DreamWorks is no longer involved.

Other producers include Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon and Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald of Parkes + MacDonald.

Gladiator was a massive critical and commercial success for Scott when it was released in 2000. The film won five of the 12 Oscars it was nominated for —Best Picture, Best Actor for Crowe, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound and Best Costume Design. Scott was nominated for Best Director, but lost to Traffic's Steven Soderbergh. The film also grossed $460.5 million worldwide.

While Scott waits for a green light to make Gladiator 2, the always-busy 80-year-old is now directing his first ever TV series, TNT's Raised By Wolves, which is filming in South Africa. He is also attached to several films, including Queen & Country with Sylvia Hoeks and a biopic with Scarlett Johansson about photojournalist Lynsey Addario. He is also working on a Disney project about the wizard Merlin, which is being rewritten by Chris Weitz.

Deadline suggests the Merlin project would be made first, since Gladiator 2 might take time to put together.

TNT greenlit Raised by Wolves early last month. The science-fiction series centers on two androids who have to raise human children on a mysterious uninhabited planet. It was created by Prisoners writer Aaron Guzikowski.

Scott directed two movies in 2017, Alien: Covenant and All The Money In The World. His most recent Oscar nomination came as producer for 2015's The Martian.

Photo credit: Universal/Getty Images