MOVIE NEWS – The success of Gladiator II last year came as no surprise, considering fans had waited over two decades for a sequel to Ridley Scott’s historical epic. But according to Mel Gibson, the original Gladiator could have looked very different. Starring Russell Crowe, the historical action drama hit theaters in 2000, garnering critical and commercial acclaim, ultimately grossing over $460 million worldwide. However, if Gibson hadn’t been committed to another project, it could have been him, not Crowe, in the role of Maximus Decimus Meridius.

At MegaCon Orlando this past weekend, Gibson appeared in a panel discussion about his career, where he revealed that Ridley Scott had personally approached him to lead Gladiator. During the ’90s, Gibson was at the peak of his stardom with hits like Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory, Payback, and Ransom, making him a prime candidate for the role. However, scheduling conflicts forced him to decline, leaving him with a lingering “What if?” scenario.

“You go back and you think, ‘Well, I wish I’d done that.’ Ridley [Scott] came to me with Gladiator and I didn’t do that either. But I was doing The Patriot, so I couldn’t do The Gladiator, so Russell got it, and he did a great job. It’s kind of interesting, the things you missed.”

What’s Next for Mel Gibson?

Though Gibson had to pass on Gladiator, he remained one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. However, his latest directorial effort, Flight Risk, was met with disappointment, grossing just $34 million against a $25 million budget.

That isn’t stopping Gibson from doing what he does best—making movies. With Flight Risk behind him, he’s set to revisit the life of Jesus Christ, much like he did in 2004’s The Passion of the Christ. During a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he confirmed that he hopes to begin filming the sequel, The Resurrection of Christ, in 2026. “I’m hoping next year sometime,” he said. “There’s a lot required because it’s an acid trip. I’ve never read anything like it.”

According to Gibson, the film will take an entirely new approach to the story of Jesus: “To really tell the story properly, you have to start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, in another realm. You need to go to hell. You need to go to Sheol.”

Until then, Gladiator and Gladiator II are streaming on Paramount+, and Flight Risk will be available on PVOD platforms starting February 14.

Source: ScreenRant