‘Gladiator II’ Producers on Returning to Ancient Rome: “We Didn’t Want to Be a Pale Imitation”

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

• After decades of development, 'Gladiator II' finally found its breakthrough moment when the creative team conceived of Lucius, the reluctant prince who resents Rome, as the film's central character instead of resurrecting Russell Crowe's Maximus.
• The colossal scale of 'Gladiator II' presented major logistical hurdles, including a mid-production shutdown due to the writers and actors' strikes, which forced the team to prematurely start filming and then later reassemble the production, adding significantly to the costs.