Should Ridley Scott be putting all his effort into Gladiator 3 now?

Sir Ridley Scott never intended to follow up his incredible 2000 release Gladiator with a sequel. The award-laden film was an incredible addition to his legacy, and there was no need to follow it up as it had a perfect conclusion.

That’s not what fans thought, and after years of waiting, the filmmaker finally fulfilled their dreams with a sequel. Thanks to the success of that, it’s now expected that there will be a third entry as well. Scott says it’s in progress, but he may need to put other projects aside to focus on this one.

Gladiator could be Scott’s greatest franchise

Many would say that Gladiator is up there with Scott’s best films of all time. However, other franchises he’s responsible for, such as Alien, may be bigger from a mass media perspective. That could be set to change, especially with a third instalment around the corner.

Gladiator has already spilled out into other media, such as the games at Paddy Power Casino. Gladiator: Mega Cash Collect and Gladiator Road to Rome expand on the films and immerse players in the Ancient Roman setting. They provide another way to experience Scott’s world and may encourage some players who haven’t seen the films to check them out.

A third entry to the film series could potentially make the franchise more memorable and allow it to draw comparisons with other classic trios of films such as The Godfather. It would also bring about new ways to expand the franchise through games and spinoff series.

Director busy with various projects

Fans had to wait 24 years between Gladiator and its sequel, but it’s unlikely that will happen again according to a piece in NME. Scott is already 88 years old, so he realistically needs to work quickly. The problem is, though, the director has countless other commitments and projects that he’s working on. For instance, he’s heavily involved in Alien: Earth and Blade Runner 2099 on television, and is set to release The Dog Stars in cinemas this year.

According to some reports, Scott may turn his attention to the new Gladiator film next, as there are currently no other movies in his pipeline. He stated in a 2025 interview with IGN that he was in the process of making Gladiator 3, but he also spoke of a third Alien prequel. Gladiator fans may be worried that he will prioritise the sci-fi franchise over the historical epic. If that happens, then the chances of there being a third Gladiator film in his lifetime are slimmer.

Gladiator was released in another era, one that predated the streaming-focused world of today’s market. Now that its sequel has been released, it has proven what a powerful franchise it could be when following the modern entertainment model. That’s why it’s essential that Scott makes Gladiator 3 his top priority. The release of the third film could boost the Roman franchise massively, and set it up for various spinoffs and related works in the future.

The editorial unit