Ridley Scott Confirms Sequel to 2024 Hit, Hints at More ‘Alien’ to Come

Ridley Scott has confirmed that he is already working on Gladiator 3 while leaving the possibility open for another Alien prequel.

The legendary director spoke about his plans recently, saying, “Gladiator is in process right now. Another Alien prequel – yeah, if I get an idea, for sure.”

This comes after the release of Gladiator II in 2024, the sequel to the 2000 hit. The film was directed and produced by Scott, with a screenplay written by David Scarpa.

It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington. Mescal takes over the role of Lucius Verus Aurelius, while Nielsen and Derek Jacobi returned from the first film.

Gladiator II tells the story of Lucius, the exiled Roman prince, who becomes a prisoner and must fight as a gladiator under Macrinus, a former slave plotting to overthrow the twin emperors Caracalla and Geta.

The sequel had been discussed for more than two decades. Initial plans appeared in 2001, but development stopped when DreamWorks was sold to Paramount in 2006.

The project was officially announced in 2018, with Mescal cast in early 2023. Filming ran from June 2023 to January 2024 and faced a five-month delay due to labor strikes in Hollywood.

Critics gave the movie mostly positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of nearly 400 reviews were favorable, with an average rating of 6.6 out of 10. The site said, “Echoing its predecessor while upping the bloodsport and camp, Gladiator II is an action extravaganza that derives much of its strength and honor from Denzel Washington’s scene-stealing performance.”

The film also performed well at the box office, earning $172.4 million in the United States and Canada and $289.7 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $462.2 million.

With the success of Gladiator II, Scott has confirmed that the next chapter is already in progress. As for another Alien prequel, fans will need to wait until Scott finds the right story idea to move forward.

It’s exciting to see Ridley Scott actively continuing two of his most popular franchises. Gladiator 3 seems likely to continue the epic story, while a new Alien prequel could explore even more of the universe he helped create. What do you think? Are you looking forward to these new projects? Share your thoughts in the comments.