Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 is one of the most anticipated movies ever since it was announced. But when it was first announced, fans were initially apprehensive of the sequel being made literally two decades after the original Oscar-winning movie and exclaimed there was no need for a sequel since the first movie was already as perfect as it could be. However, they turned quite welcoming after hearing that the likes of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal would be joining the cast.
Yet it hasn’t been the first time the director’s decisions have come under fire for he was previously criticized for using only white actors in his movie Exodus and making several historical faults in Gladiator. But as Taylor Swift sang— Karma is a God and it has come to bite Scott in the form of PETA.
Karma Has Come To Bite Ridley Scott In The Form Of PETA
There seems to be hardly a Ridley Scott movie that is free from controversy. Connected at the hip, controversy and Scott’s movies are like two peas in a pod. A simple Google search will prove how often fans and critics have found his decisions and casting choices problematic over the years.
The Russell Crowe starrer Gladiator too was called out for its several historical inaccuracies (see History Hit, Ranker, and Reddit). Furthermore, fans’ problem with Scott hasn’t just been because of the movie but also because of his other movies, such as Exodus.
The filmmaker was called out for not casting any people of ethnicity and only casting white actors in the lead. However, it was his statement that became the main problem when he stated he could not cast Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such because of the high budget of the movie (via Variety).
And after numerous controversies associated with his Gladiator sequel, karma has come back to the esteemed director of PETA. Since last year, the organization has accused the rapidly over-budgeted movie of rampant animal abuse.
The organization has asked the director to reportedly stop using horses and macaque monkeys after certain whistleblowers reported that the production was allegedly engaging in abusive training methods and even stunted primate development (via LA Times). And it seems even the presence of a stellar cast cannot save the movie which already facing several other issues.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 Has Been Facing Several Other Issues
The troubles facing the production of Gladiator 2 cannot seem to end. After the two-decade gap, the first movie being called out for its historical inaccuracies, and the delay caused by the twin Hollywood strikes, Ridley Scott’s upcoming movie is a hot pot of problems and controversies.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the movie’s initial budget was supposed to be just $165 million but now it has reached $310 million and even growing more and more. Before PETA reported the movie’s production being allegedly abusive to animals, one of the stunts went so horribly wrong that it led to six crew members with non-threatening burn injuries, and four of them were hospitalized (see Deadline).
Furthermore, as per Insidethemagic.net, some background actors alleged that the production made digital copies of them without their consent. These issues seem to have been facing the sequel since its start and how the movie will fare out after all these reports, only time will tell.
Gladiator 2 is expected to be released on November 22, 2024.
