Ridley Scott hopes Russell Crowe doesn't complain about lack of involvement in Gladiator II

Ridley Scott hopes Russell Crowe doesn't start complaining about having no involvement in his Gladiator sequel.

The legendary filmmaker told Empire magazine that there was no point in consulting with Crowe about the sequel because his character Maximus died at the end of the original 2000 movie.

"The plot, frankly, was right under our noses," Scott said about the sequel. "I think it was so close under our noses that we thought it was too simple. I think (Crowe) is still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship. I hope we do. As long as he doesn't start b**ching about how he wasn't consulted. Why would I? He's dead!"

During an interview on the Kyle Meredith With... podcast in June, the A Beautiful Mind actor admitted he felt "slightly uncomfortable" and experienced "a tinge of melancholy" and "a tinge of jealousy" about a sequel being made without him.

"I'm slightly uncomfortable with the fact they're making another one - because, of course, I'm dead and I have no say in what gets done," Crowe acknowledged. "But a couple of the things I've heard I'm like - no, no, no, that's not in the moral journey of that particular character. But I can't say anything, it's not my place, I'm six foot under. So we'll see what that is like."

The sequel stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).

The Normal People star previously told Esquire that he didn't speak with Crowe about his leading Gladiator role.

"I don't know what we would talk about. Like, I'd love to hear his stories from filming, but (my) character is, like, totally separate," he explained.

Gladiator II will be released in cinemas on 15 November.