Russell Crowe’s Master and Commander is based on a book series, but despite so much material available for adaptation, it has no sequel. Master and Commander is one of many standalone movies with great sequel potential that have not continued their stories, but for a war movie, this is not surprising. The best war movies of all time often don’t get sequels given the nature of their stories, which are usually self-contained. Still, there are many other reasons why a successful movie would not have a sequel.

Many A-list actors do not appear in franchises very often, including Russell Crowe before he was cast for The Pope’s Exorcist 2, in which he will reprise his role as Father Gabriele Amorth. Most of Russell Crowe’s movies have been standalone films, and though Gladiator finally got a sequel over 20 years later, he did not appear in it. Still, Russell Crowe has starred in several films that could have gotten follow-ups had they performed better, like Robin Hood. That said, one of the most painful of Crowe’s missing sequels is Master and Commander.

Russell Crowe’s Master & Commander Should’ve Been A Movie Series

Master And Commander’s Ending Was Clearly Set Up For A Sequel

Master and Commander was adapted from a series of novels by the naval enthusiast Patrick O’Brian, and its attention to detail made it one of the greatest military tactical war movies of all time. While war movies often focus on brute force, Master and Commander took a different approach by showing the value of fighting smarter rather than harder. Russell Crowe’s performance was widely praised as his character, Captain Jack Aubrey, transformed from an inexperienced captain to a formidable commander. Master and Commander ended with a sequel hook, and the movie could have begun a series.

While Captain Jack Aubrey was a respected tactician by the end of Master and Commander, the ending showed that he could still make mistakes. Aubrey believed that the captain of the French ship, Acheron, had been killed, but he was fooled by the captain, who was posing as the ship’s surgeon. Master and Commander ends with Aubrey realizing his mistake and the HMS Surprise turning to pursue the Acheron again. Master and Commander‘s disappointing cliffhanger ending should have been resolved in a series of sequels, while the discussed prequel could have given viewers more of Russell Crowe.

Russell Crowe’s Epic Movies Peaked With Gladiator & Master & Commander

Russell Crowe’s Later Epics Have Divided Audiences And Critics

Russell Crowe is one of the most prolific actors of the 21st century, and he has appeared in big movies from all genres. Most movies that defined Russell Crowe’s career are epics, and his career high was arguably between 2000 and 2002 when he was nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award three years in a row. Crowe won his Oscar for playing the general-turned-gladiator Maximus in Gladiator, which was less historically accurate than Master and Commander but similarly well-received. After these two films, Crowe’s action movies appear to have peaked, with his later films dividing audiences.

While Gladiator and Master and Commander are two of Russell Crowe’s best movies, his later epic tales were much more divisive. That said, Crowe’s performances have rarely been criticized, with the failure of the movies appearing due to other factors. Roger Ebert felt that Crowe was “miscast” in Les Miserables, which struggled to transition from the stage to the screen. Noah had the potential to be timeless, but it was unclear whether it was trying to be an action-packed movie or something deeper. Crowe has recently been in a few action and horror films that didn’t receive great reviews either

Russell Crowe Movie Sequels Shouldn’t Happen Without Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe Could Return For A Master & Commander Sequel (But Not A Prequel)

Russell Crowe has such a powerful screen presence that he is often inseparable from the characters he has played. While it was the right decision not to bring the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Maximus back for the Gladiator sequel, Crowe was the defining image of the original movie, and his presence was missed. After Gladiator II, it is now impossible to imagine a Master and Commander sequel without Russell Crowe, as his performance was one of the best parts of the movie.

When 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell was asked about a Master and Commander prequel, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “We have a great script. It just needs the right director.” While this is great news for fans of the books, it is less optimistic for Russell Crowe. It’s been over 20 years since the original film, so it’s difficult to imagine how the original cast would be able to return. This is why I believe the best way to revisit Master and Commander is through a sequel starring Russell Crowe, even if this doesn’t seem very likely to happen.

Source: Roger Ebert, The Hollywood Reporter