Will there be a Gladiator 3?

Gladiator II is currently dominating the box office alongside Wicked, and with Ridley Scott fully immersed back in the world of the Roman Empire the question remains whether there will be more to come.

The sequel to the 2000 masterpiece starring Russell Crowe saw Maximus' illegitimate son Lucius (Paul Mescal) entering the arena after being taken prisoner by the Roman army from the African kingdom of Numidia. He's taken from slavery by Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and thrust into the Colosseum to achieve greatness as a gladiator, but all he wants is revenge on those who killed his wife.

Gladiator II has already garnered $220m worldwide so it seems like a no brainer that the director will return to the franchise for another round, but what has been said? Here's what we know.

Warning: This article contains some spoilers for Gladiator II.

Is Ridley Scott interested in making Gladiator 3?

The good news is that Scott has expressed an interest in making another film in the Gladiator franchise, and he actually already has a story in mind for the next film.

If Scott has his way a third film in the franchise will explore the ramifications of Lucius' actions after the events of the second film. Brother emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) were killed through Macrinus' machinations, and Lucius defeated the villain in a fight to reclaim his rightful place as heir to the Holy Roman Empire.

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The third film will explore the consequences of Lucius taking power, much in the same way that The Godfather Part II did with Michael Corleone (Al Pacino).

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott said: "There’s already an idea. I always had this idea that The Godfather ends with Michael not wanting the job. He sits there, and there’s this push-in on Al. He’s already had his hand kissed. He’s betrayed his wife with lies.

"[Lucius] isn’t quite that evil at all. He’s wondering, 'Father, what do I do?' Paul not wanting the job is a good place to start.”

The director also spoke with Total Film about a potential threequel, saying: "I’ve already got eight pages. I’ve got the beginning of a very good footprint. If there’s a Gladiator 3, I don’t think you’d ever go back into the arena. But I had to go back into the arena.”

For his part, Mescal has shared his interest in returning to the role of Lucius and has said he doesn't think it'll take 24 years to make another film — referencing the long journey to the screen that the Gladiator sequel faced after 2000.

How much does Gladiator 2 need to make to be a box office success?

Per Variety, Gladiator 2 had a production budget of $250m as well as a further $100m in promotion costs, which means the film will have to earn significantly more than that to make a sequel a possibility.

The good news is that the film seems likely to go above its production budget, as it's already earned $220m worldwide. It may be competing with Wicked at the box office now, but the industry is likely hoping for another successful double-bill with Glicked (as its known) like 2021's cultural phenomenon Barbenheimer.

Both films cater to different audiences, and it has been released right in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations so it is likely that executives are hoping this will help boost its success at the box office. Gladiator 2's strong openings in the US and abroad makes it a strong possibility, but viewers will have to wait and see if it does work out in the end.

Gladiator II is out now in cinemas.