The insurance company of Gladiator advised Ridley Scott to reshoot the whole movie midway through filming due to an unforeseen circumstance. Scott’s 2000 Best Picture-winning movie, which just recently saw the release of its long-awaited sequel, followed Maximus (Russell Crowe), a general forced into slavery who must fight for his life as a gladiator while seeking revenge against those who wronged him. Gladiator is considered one of Scott’s best movies, but its production didn’t come without challenges.
At The Hollywood Reporter‘s Producer Roundtable, it was revealed that Scott almost had to reshoot the entirety of Gladiator. Before filming was complete, actor Oliver Reed passed away after a double heart attack, leaving a few scenes unfinished. He played Proximo, a gladiator trainer who has a pivotal role in Maximus’ journey. Lucy Fisher, the producer of the new sequel, Gladiator II, recalled that “more than half” of filming was completed at that time, and the insurance company felt an entire reshoot would be needed. Check out what she said:
FISHER:
At first, the insurance company said that Ridley [Scott, the director] would have to go back and reshoot the whole movie, and they already had shot more than half of it. They came up with a great idea, which is a little CGI and a little bit of a different ending.
Mary Parent, who was then a young executive at Universal advocating for the project, added, “$90 million insurance claim. They had a brilliant solution and it’s a good example of producing.“
What This Means For Gladiator
Gladiator Helped Revolutionize The Use Of CGI In Filmmaking
Due to the key role Oliver Reed played in Gladiator, the only other way around was to recast the role and reshoot all of Reed’s scenes, which would significantly extend the production’s length and budget. To avoid a $90 million claim, the creative minds behind Gladiator came up with a series of solutions to carry on filming. Aside from using a stunt double and CGI face swaps for important scenes, Proximo also died earlier in the film in comparison to the original plan.
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Gladiator’s 10 Most Rewatchable Scenes
Gladiator is one of the most iconic films of all time, partly due to the sheer amount of rewatchable scenes that Ridley Scott’s epic includes.
Proximo’s absence also led to significant changes to the film’s ending, including the death of Russell Crowe’s Maximus, though the decision may have more to do with Maximus’ arc. Using CGI for a face swap wasn’t a standard procedure back then, and the film’s creative way of handling the tragic death of a key actor revolutionized the use of innovative technology in filmmaking. Now, the process is a bit more common, as seen with movies such as Furious 7 and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Our Take On Gladiator
It’s One Of The Greatest Films Ever Made
Gladiator has plenty of fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. Reed’s death mid-production wasn’t the only challenge it faced, and Scott and the creative minds behind the film certainly had their unique ways of solving problems. For example, to achieve a shocking visual effect on screen, Scott found out about the deforestation plan for an area in the Bourne Woods in Surrey, England, and offered to burn down the forest free of charge in exchange for filming permission, which resulted in the shocking Gladiator opening scene.
Crowe also did his own stunts in Gladiator. He had a series of serious injuries from broken bones to superficial wounds. One injury also took him two years to fully recover. Crowe often didn’t need makeup artists for the effects because he was covered in dirt and blood. In the opening battle scene, the wounds on his face were real. Of course, there were many occasions which seemed like the film might not even cross the finish line, but all the incidents and solutions then became part of the stories that shaped one of the best movies ever made.
Source: THR
10/10
Gladiator
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
- Release Date
- May 5, 2000
- Studio(s)
- DreamWorks Distribution , Universal Pictures , Scott Free Productions , Red Wagon Entertainment
- Distributor(s)
- DreamWorks Distribution , Universal Pictures
- Writers
- David Franzoni , John Logan , William Nicholson
- Cast
- Russell Crowe , Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen , Oliver Reed , Richard Harris , Derek Jacobi , Djimon Hounsou , David Schofield , John Shrapnel , Tomas Arana , Ralf Moeller , Spencer Treat Clark , David Hemmings , Tommy Flanagan , Sven-Ole Thorsen , Omid Djalili , Nicholas McGaughey , Chris Kell , Tony Curran , Mark Lewis , John Quinn , Alun Raglan , David Bailie , Chick Allan , David J. Nicholls , Al Hunter Ashton , Billy Dowd , Giannina Facio , Giorgio Cantarini
- Character(s)
- Maximus Meridius , Emperor Commodus , Lucilla , Proximo , Marcus Aurelius , Gracchus , Juba , Falco , Gaius , Quintus , Hagen , Lucius , Cassius , Cicero , Tigris , Slave Trader , Praetorian Officer , Scribe , Assassin #1 , Assassin #2 , Valerius , Praetorian Guard #1 , Engineer , German Leader , Giant Man , Rome Trainer #1 , Narrator , Maximus’ Wife , Maximus’ Son
- Runtime
- 155 minutes
- Budget
- $103 million
- Main Genre
- Adventure