The excitement surrounding Gladiator 2 has left many fans wondering about the return of Russell Crowe’s iconic character, Maximus. Despite the anticipation, Maximus will not be making an appearance in the sequel.

Russell Crowe will not be involved in Gladiator II onscreen or behind the scenes but he has spoken several times about his notable sequel absence.

The movie’s director, Ridley Scott, spoke to The New York Times before the upcoming release of “Gladiator II” and revealed that the first few days of production didn’t go as planned – mainly because Phoenix was overwhelmed and Crowe believed his behavior was “unprofessional.”