Gladiator 3: Paul Mescal and director Ridley Scott discuss sequel plans

Gladiator II has been one of the most anticipated films of the decade. The original Gladiator was an instant classic that took home Best Picture and Best Actor at the 2001 Oscars, so it was always going to be a daunting task for director Ridley Scott to recapture the magic.

Scott, one of the most famous and beloved curmudgeons in Hollywood, is not deterred by the notion of ruining the legacy of his original film. In fact, the director has already teased plans for a third film in the franchise, despite the fact that the Gladiator II has yet to hit theaters.

Scott likened the franchise to The Godfather

Scott first threw out the possibility of a third film during an October interview with Total Film. He told the outlet he already had eight pages of material, which were born out of the creative sessions from the second film. A month later, Scott doubled down on the idea during an interview with Premiere.

The Oscar winner not only teased the narrative structure of Gladiator 3, but he likened it to one of the most acclaimed films of all time: The Godfather. "I've lit the fuse," he noted. "Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn't want... So the next film will be about a man who doesn't want to be where he is."

Paul Mescal assured fans that he would return

Scott's enthusiasm is unmistakable, and it's been matched by his leading man, Paul Mescal. The Oscar nominee was asked about the possibility of returning for a third film by Variety, and he made it clear that he is down:

"Oh yeah, massively down. I don’t think it will be [24] years — but I have no idea when it will be."

Of course, Gladiator 3 is dependent on the success of Gladiator II. The latter has an eye-watering budget somewhere between $250-$310 million, so it will need to be a smash success in order to make money for Paramount. Fingers crossed.