The long-awaited "Gladiator" sequel is at last in production after 23 years. Ridley Scott, the director, has put together a crew and started casting for the next movie's lead parts.
The Moroccan city of Ouarzazate, renowned for its spectacular vistas and popularity among filmmakers, will host filming in May.
The plot's specifics are being kept a secret, however it was previously rumored that an early concept by rock icon Nick Cave, in which Russell Crowe's character Maximus would have returned through a "portal," had been dropped.
According to a source, "This has been developing since 2018 and for a long time it seemed like it may never see the light of day."
But after choosing a new script that seemed to motivate them late last year, the production team really took off. Everything was operational a few months later, and it is currently well under way.
"This would be a tremendous box office attraction any way. It was a huge hit and one of the biggest action movies of its time.
There is obviously a huge appetite for it because Ridley has been asked about a sequel for years.
When "Gladiator" was first released in 2000, it immediately became a huge smash, grossing $460 million worldwide.
Additionally, it earned favorable reviews and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, in addition to winning Bafta and Golden Globe awards.
Since Scott made a passing reference to a prospective script that would bring the "Gladiator" universe back to the big screen with Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, there have been rumors about a sequel for five years.
Fans of "Gladiator" have been anticipating the sequel for more than 20 years, and it appears that their wait may soon be over.