In a few weeks, Ridley Scott will finally present Gladiator II, the sequel to his historical masterpiece that was released almost a quarter of a century ago. Awarded the Academy Award for Best Picture, Gladiator also gave Russell Crowe recognition from the wider international community (but also won the Academy Award for Best Actor).
Back to the Ridley Scott Peplum Box
Throughout his career, Ridley Scott has been interested in different periods of history: the Middle Ages (The Last Duel), the Crusades (Kingdom of Heaven) and the Napoleonic era (The Duelists, Napoleon). But the English director made a huge contribution by bringing this unfashionable genre back into vogue in the early 2000s thanks to the success of Gladiator.
And while the third Gladiator could see the light of day after the second, the indomitable 86-year-old director is starting a new historical project. The latter, in fact, is preparing to adapt the book A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii – an anthology work that depicts the famous tragedy of Pompeii through the pens of six novelists.
In 79 BC, Mount Vesuvius erupted and swallowed the nearby city of Pompeii in southern Italy. Almost all its inhabitants died that day, and since then this natural disaster is considered one of the worst in ancient times. The city of Pompeii has become a popular tourist attraction for vacationers today.
A big name from the historical series will collaborate on the project
The series will be directed by Horatio Hirst, with screenwriter Michael Hirst (creator of Vikings) writing and producing. Co-produced by production company Scott Free (created by Ridley Scott with his brother, the late Tony Scott) and Amazon MGM, the project is just entering the writing phase and won’t start filming until next year — at best.
The tragedy of Pompeii has been brought to the screen more than once. Notably, Sergio Leone’s very first film, The Last Days of Pompeii (co-directed by Mario Bonardi), the mini-series of the same name starring Laurence Olivier, and more recently Paul W.S. Anderson’s blockbuster Pompeii with Kit Harington.
Before that, epic and Ridley Scott fans will have the opportunity to discover his new film Gladiator II in cinemas from November 13.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
