Russel Crowe jokes about starring in Gladiator 2

We know a sequel to the 2000 film Gladiator is in the works. Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, featured actor Russel Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius. The Hollywood actor has quipped that he will reprise the role in the sequel as a corpse lying six feet under the Colosseum.

According to aceshowbiz.com, the actor sarcastically mentioned his involvement in the sequel during a conversation on The Jonathan Ross Show. The actor said, "I think when they're shooting in the Colosseum and stuff, I'll be lying six feet underground... you won't see me, but I'll be there beneath the ground."

The Ridley Scott directorial has won five Academy Awards at the 73rd Oscar ceremony, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. Russel also added that he had conversations with Scott regarding the upcoming sequel," I've had a couple of dinners with Ridley since he embarked on this. We haven't really talked about what he's doing. But no, I'm not involved. Maximus has departed the world."

Russell also said that shooting his latest film, The Pope's Exorcist, in Rome was the first time he had filmed in the city - as Gladiator was made in London and Morocco, "The funny thing is, a lot of people assume I've done a lot of filming in Rome. We shot 'the other gig' (Gladiator) in London and then Morocco. The 'Colosseum' for us was in Malta. This film was my first time ever shooting in the city of Rome."

The sequel is set twenty years after the original. Ridley Scott also helms the sequel, while Paul Mescal plays the lead role.