Gladiator II: Denzel Washington Commends Ridley and Tom Scott, Discusses Directorial Comparison
Denzel Washington has collaborated with several esteemed directors throughout his career. Recently, he joined forces again with Ridley Scott, his director from the 2007 film American Gangster, for the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel. Ridley’s late brother, Tom, was also a renowned director with whom Washington worked on five projects, including Deja Vu in 2006, Man on Fire in 2004, and Unstoppable in 2010.
In an interview with Empire, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor shared his experience working with the Scott brothers over the years. “Obviously both are great filmmakers,” he acknowledged. “They can’t miss.”
Washington admitted that he never compared the two directors because they have different working styles and personalities. “I don’t compare directors. You see the different personalities. I suppose they do have similarities,” he added.
Expressing his excitement about reuniting with Ridley after over a decade, Washington mentioned that there are only a few films that he would sign up for, based on his inspiration from the filmmaker and the project. “I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” he said. He praised Ridley for keeping the passion for life and filmmaking alive, saying, “We should all want to feel like that at 86.”
The Training Day actor will appear in the upcoming action-adventure Gladiator II as the wealthy arms dealer Macrinus. Describing his character, Washington noted that Macrinus “wants to be Emperor and he’s willing to do anything to get there.” The film features a star-studded cast, including Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and many others.
The sequel will follow Lucius’s journey from underdog to gladiator, fighting in the iconic pit. While Russell Crowe’s character, Maximus, met a tragic end in the original film, his legacy will continue in the sequel. The anticipation for the sequel remains high, with various theories and speculations circulating.
Gladiator II is set to premiere in theaters internationally on November 15, 2024.