It’s been 20 years since Gladiator hit theaters back in May 2000 and we’re still learning new things about the making of the sword-and-sandal epic. In a new interview on the occasion of this milestone anniversary, director Ridley Scott and cast alums Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, and Djimon Hounsou opened up about their time spent making the film. What is most jaw-dropping, though, are the comments made about how this movie was written.
For director Ridley Scott, it was one look at a 19th-century neoclassical work of art that convinced him to make the Oscar-winning picture “Gladiator.” Jean-Léon Gérôme’s painting “Pollice Verso” depicts an armored gladiator in the ring, triumphantly facing onlookers as the crowd reacts with thumbs turned down, signaling their approval for the fighter to deliver a final, fatal blow. Without even knowing what the film’s story would be, Scott signed on to build a Roman Empire saga that would go on to score five Academy Awards.
The epic movie features iconic scenes that were filmed in Malta. The video production studio that was in charge of the film chose Fort Ricasoli in Kalkara and the old port of Vittoriosa as locations depicting ancient Rome.
Raking in over $460 million dollars globally on what Scott told Variety was at the time a massive budget of $103 million, the film triumphed at the box office when it debuted on May 5, 2000. The Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix action drama paved the way for more historical epics like “300,” “Troy” and “Centurion.” Steven Spielberg at Dreamworks, already in a three-picture deal with screenwriter David Franzoni, signed on to produce the picture, and the crew started filming in England, Malta, Italy and Morocco.
In honor of the film’s 20th anniversary, the cast and crew shared their experiences working on “Gladiator”, with Variety.
Russle Crow said that the standout thing with this film, and 20 years later I can say with confidence that somewhere in the world, today, tonight, that movie will be played on primetime. And it’s 20 years since it came out. Not every movie lasts in that way. But Crowe didn’t want to take part in the movie. “I’d read the script and I thought it wasn’t a movie. But then Parkes said, “It’s 184 A.D., you’re a Roman general, and you’re going to be directed by Ridley Scott.” And that was enough for me to want to talk to Ridley. I was just coming off the shoot of “The Insider.” I was gigantic. I had no hair because I had been wearing a wig on that movie, so I had shaved my head to make it more comfortable and the wigs go on quicker. I didn’t look like any Roman general.”
The script for “Gladiator” underwent major rewrites, as cast members like Connie Nielsen (Lucilla) and Djimon Hounsou (Juba) provided their insights. The rewrites did not stop at pre-production, though. Throughout filming, the cast members were often given lines on the spot, and Scott, Franzoni and Crowe worked together every day to punch up the screenplay.
The direction was a collaborative effort led by Scott. Input from the cast was encouraged, and Nielsen said that Richard Harris — who played Marcus Aurelius — came up with a novel idea during a scene with Nielsen and Phoenix in a carriage together. Nielsen says that “we were getting ready to shoot the carriage scene and Harris said to me, “Oh, you know, people at the time didn’t wash, so I’ll bet you anything that Commodus smelled terrible in that carriage. You know what they did, at the time, they would have a little fan made out of bunched herbs.” And I was like, “Dude, I’m gonna use that, thank you Daddy.” I went up to Ridley and told him, “Hey this is what Richard tells me that people did and I think it’s a great idea” and he’s like, “Absolutely, let’s put it in.”
The crew built 40% of a full-scale Colosseum nearly 100-feet high, using CGI to finish the rest of the massive structure. In the ring, Hounsou and Crowe, along with the other gladiators, prepared for their battle sequences, oftentimes injuring themselves in the process. They also lifted weights in a tent on the outskirts of the Colosseum.
“Gladiator” was one of Phoenix’s first major roles after the death of his brother, River Phoenix, and he and Crowe developed a brotherly friendship that he referenced during a press conference for the movie.
Crowe said “There were a lot of people in that strange journalistic habit who wanted to just poke that fire and kept asking Joaquin about his brother and then about his relationship with me because we have that in the film. At one point, we were doing some press conference and he just said something along the lines of, “Look, Russell treated me like a brother” and it just hit me in a really heavy way.
The last time we got together we had just bumped into each other in a corridor and it was then followed by six or seven hours of just throwing away whatever it was we were supposed to do that day and just being in each other’s company.”
VARIETY / Collider
