Ridley Scott Shares Updates on "Gladiator 3", Third Alien Prequel

Ridley Scott has finally shared new updates about "Gladiator 3" and a third Alien prequel. 

Released last summer, the acclaimed director's follow-up to his 2000 epic, "Gladiator", followed Maximus' son, Lucius, as he becomes a hero of the Colosseum. 

The film wasn't a major box office hit, but Scott previously expressed interest in a sequel.

As for the Alien franchise, the filmmaker's current role is of executive producer, overseeing "Alien: Romulus' (2024) and Noah Hawley's "Alien: Earth" TV series. 

Scott hasn't directed films in the franchise since the prequels "Prometheus" (2012) and "Alien: Covenant" (2017).

In a recent interview with "The Guardian" in which he answers questions from users on the Internet, the director revealed that he is currently working on "Gladiator 3," and that another Alien prequel also isn't off the table.

"Gladiator is in process right now. Another Alien prequel – yeah, if I get an idea, for sure," Scott said.

Reports of Gladiator 2's budget varied, but higher estimates put it at around $240 million. If accurate, this would make the film's final box office gross of $462 million worldwide a disappointment. If another Gladiator movie does move forward, it will likely be made at a lower budget level.

It's worth noting, however, that Gladiator 3 has not been officially greenlit by the studio. Scott is likely in the process of developing the story and script, but plenty of movies do not move past this stage for one reason or another. 

Another Alien prequel does not sound imminent, as it seems Scott has not yet found an idea worth pursuing. 

The reception to "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant" was mixed, the latter was also a box office disappointment compared to previous entries.

The Alien franchise has been experiencing something of a renaissance since "Alien: Covenant". 

'Alien: Romulus" was a hit last year and "Alien: Earth" has been met with positive reviews following its premiere on August 12. 

With a Romulus sequel seemingly filming later this year, there will clearly be no shortage of Alien material in the future.