Gladiator at 25: The Tale Behind Ridley Scott's Epic Sword-and-Sandal Film

      As it marks its 25th anniversary, Hasitha Fernando reflects on the story behind Ridley Scott’s Gladiator...

      The production of Gladiator faced numerous issues and delays. A solid script was not ready when filming commenced, a key cast member unexpectedly passed away, and the shooting was tough on both the cast and crew. Nevertheless, the film emerged as one of the year's top-grossing movies, winning acclaim from both critics and audiences, and collecting several Oscars during award season. It became an unforeseen pop-culture phenomenon, reviving the Hollywood sword-and-sandal genre and propelling the careers of its lead actors. In celebrating its 25th anniversary, we delve into the film's behind-the-scenes narrative and the events that unfolded during its making.

      The story drew inspiration from a European trip and a historical book.

      David Franzoni was the individual who wrote the first draft of Gladiator's screenplay. Three decades earlier, after finishing college, a young Franzoni traveled around the world for a year. He journeyed through Eastern Europe and the Middle East on a motorcycle, meeting fellow travelers from various countries. Franzoni remembered thinking, “Everywhere I went in Europe, there were arenas. Even as I traveled east through Turkey, I started to think this must have been an incredible franchise.” During this adventurous year, he discovered Daniel P. Mannix's book "Those Who Are About to Die,” which was a well-researched account of Roman Gladiators' lives.

      In the late 1990s, Franzoni wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s project Amistad, which was the first film from the emerging studio DreamWorks Pictures. Though it received positive reviews, the historical drama did not perform notably at the global box office. However, producers at DreamWorks recognized Franzoni’s potential and offered him a three-picture deal as a writer and co-producer. Recalling his memorable trip from 35 years ago, Franzoni pitched his gladiator story to Spielberg, who promptly advised him to develop a script, choosing to focus the tale on Commodus, with the protagonist being Narcissus, a wrestler who supposedly strangled Commodus.

      The producers believed Ridley Scott was the right choice for the directing role.

      Ridley Scott is a renowned filmmaker known for directing genre classics such as Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Legend, and 1492: Conquest of Paradise. Given Scott’s extensive experience across various genres, DreamWorks producers Walter F. Parkes and Douglas Wick considered him the ideal choice to bring David Franzoni's sword-and-sandal epic to life. The producers presented Scott with Jean-Léon Gérôme’s 1872 painting Pollice Verso, which encapsulated their vision. Scott was so taken by the image that he immediately agreed to direct the film. When Parkes expressed concern about Scott not knowing the movie's storyline, the director confidently retorted, “I don’t care, I’ll do it.” Such was Scott’s determination regarding the project.

      Films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, La Dolce Vita, and The Conformist served as influences for Gladiator.

      Scott made it clear from the start that he wanted to avoid common clichés found in typical sword-and-sandal films, such as characters lounging and drinking wine in opulent Roman villas. He aimed to depict a more authentic version of ancient Rome, filled with cunning senators, corrupt politics, and violent brutality. Scott and Franzoni extensively discussed the films that would shape Gladiator, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, La Dolce Vita, and The Conformist.

      Once Scott was on board, he felt that the script's dialogue required some refinement, so he enlisted noted playwright John Logan to rewrite certain parts of Franzoni’s draft. Logan ended up revising much of the first act and decided to kill off Maximus’s family to intensify the character’s thirst for vengeance. This marked just the beginning of the film’s widely discussed script troubles, but more on that later.

      Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, and Hugh Jackman were initially considered for the lead role.

      Russell Crowe, who had delivered outstanding performances in 1997’s L.A. Confidential and 1999’s The Insider, was cast as Maximus in Gladiator. It would be an understatement to say that the film dramatically changed the trajectory of his career. However, before Crowe was chosen, several other actors were in the running for the iconic role, including Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, and Hugh Jackman. Banderas was eliminated as he didn’t fit the character of Maximus, while Gibson declined due to prior commitments to star in 2000’s The Patriot. Jackman was also overlooked because he was relatively unknown at that time. Nonetheless, Banderas made a cameo as a peasant in the film, reportedly earning an impressive $50,000 for his role