Gladiator 2

In the years after the original film's release, there were numerous attempts to develop a sequel. One concept proposed by producer Douglas Wick involved laying Maximus's body in a cave and resurrecting him in a manner reminiscent of Jesus, but Russell Crowe replied, 'I don't think we have the rights to that story.' Musician Nick Cave was also invited by Crowe and Sir Ridley Scott to draft a version. His treatment emphasised the more mythic elements of ancient Rome and would have seen Maximus arrive in the afterlife, only to confront other souls who had not yet ascended. He is eventually tasked by Jupiter and other Roman deities to return to Earth to find and kill Hephaestus, a former god who betrayed them. From there he is resurrected as a Christian and finds himself travelling back to Rome on a mission to halt the spread of Christianity, while crossing paths with the new Emperor, Lucius. The film would have ended with Maximus cursed to live for eternity, featuring a montage of the soldier fighting through the Crusades, World War II and the Vietnam War, ultimately revealing a modern-day Maximus working at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The studio chose not to proceed with this version, though the script is available to read online.