Ridley Scott addresses Gladiator 3 and a third Alien prequel, providing a promising update. Released last summer, Scott’s follow-up to his 2000 epic, Gladiator, followed Maximus’ son, Lucius, as he becomes a hero of the Colosseum. The film wasn’t a major box office hit, but the director previously expressed interest in a sequel.
As for the Alien franchise, Scott’s current role is of executive producer, overseeing Alien: Romulus (2024) and the new Alien: Earth TV series. Scott hasn’t directed films in the franchise since prequels Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017).
During a recent interview with The Guardian in which he answers questions from users on the Internet, Scott makes clear that his time in the world of Gladiator and Alien may not be over just yet. The filmmaker reveals that he’s currently working on Gladiator 3, and that another Alien prequel also isn’t off the table. Check out his comment below:
Gladiator is in process right now. Another Alien prequel – yeah, if I get an idea, for sure.
What This Means For The Gladiator & Alien Franchises
Reports of Gladiator 2‘s budget vary, but higher estimates put it at around $240 million. If accurate, this would make the film’s final box office gross of $462 million worldwide a disappointment. It’s curious then that Scott is working on a third film in the saga.
It’s worth noting, however, that Gladiator 3 has not been officially greenlit by the studio. Scott is likely in the process of developing the story and script, but plenty of movies do not move past this stage for one reason or another. If another Gladiator movie does move forward, it’s likely that it will be made at a lower budget level.
Another Alien prequel does not sound imminent, as it seems Scott has not yet found an idea worth pursuing. The reception to Prometheus and Alien: Covenant was somewhat mixed, and the latter was also a box office disappointment compared to previous installments.
The Alien franchise has been experiencing something of a renaissance since Covenant. Alien: Romulus was a hit last year and creator Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth has been met with positive reviews following its premiere on August 12. With a Romulus sequel seemingly filming later this year, there will clearly be no shortage of Alien material in the future.
Our Take On Scott’s Gladiator & Alien Comments
Gladiator 2 reviews were relatively lukewarm overall, and it doesn’t seem like there’s too much enthusiasm for another installment. Still, it would be interesting to see Scott conclude Lucius’ story with one more movie, and potentially one that is smaller in scope and scale.
As a defender and admirer of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, particularly the latter, I would be thrilled to see Scott conclude his prequel trilogy. The time for a Covenant follow-up seems to have pᴀssed, however, and there may not be room for it given Romulus 2, a potential Alien: Earth season 2, and a teased Alien vs. Predator crossover project.
Ultimately, it remains unclear whether Scott’s Gladiator 3 and new Alien prequel will actually come to fruition. What is clear, however, is that even at 87, Scott’s enthusiasm for making movies is as strong as ever.
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Gladiator
- Created by
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David Franzoni, Ridley Scott
- First Film
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Gladiator
- Upcoming Films
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Gladiator II
- Cast
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Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal
- Movie(s)
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Gladiator, Gladiator II
- Character(s)
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Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commodus, Lucilla, Lucius, Marcus Acacius, Macrinus
The Gladiator franchise is a historical epic series that began with the 2000 film directed by Ridley Scott. The story follows Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed and forced into slavery, where he rises to become a gladiator and seeks revenge against the corrupt emperor Commodus. The film was a critical and commercial success, winning multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. The franchise is set to expand with a highly anticipated sequel, Gladiator II, slated for release in 2024, which will continue the story with a new generation of characters.
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Alien
- Movie(s)
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Alien, Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien: Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017), Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Created by
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Ridley Scott
- First Film
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Alien
- Latest Film
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Alien: Romulus
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Alien: Earth
- Cast
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Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Pete Postlethwaite, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dan Hedaya, Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Michael Fᴀssbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir
The Alien franchise, which began with Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, is a Sci-Fi series comprised of several horror films, games, and comic books centered on humanity’s encounters with a hostile extraterrestrial species known as Xenomorphs. Characterized by their lethal prowess and capability to reproduce at an alarming rate, these creatures pose a profound threat to human existence. The primary series protagonist, Ellen Ripley, acts as the voice of reason as she seeks to keep the creatures out of the hands of greed-driven corporate scientists.
