This isn't the first time that Ridley Scott has touched upon a sequel to GLADIATOR, as you might just remember the bizarre script by Nick Cave (LAWLESS) which found Maximus being brought back to life by Roman Gods several decades after his death. While chatting on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast several years ago, Nick Cave said the the film, which he wanted to call CHRIST KILLER, would have found Maximus in purgatory as he's "sent down by the gods, who are dying in heaven because there’s this one god, there’s this Christ character, down on Earth who is gaining popularity and so the many gods are dying so they send Gladiator back to kill Christ and his followers." However, the scrip would have found Maximus tricked by the gods as the "Christ character" that they've sent him to kill was his own son (you know, the one who died in the first movie). However, we haven't even gotten to the craziest part as the end of the film would have found Maximus living forever, fighting battles throughout history, such as World War II and Vietnam, before ending up as a General in the modern-day Pentagon. When Russell Crowe read the script, he reportedly said, "don't like it, mate."