Russell Crowe might have won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Maximus in Ridley Scott’s 2000 smash Gladiator, but his experience with the film’s sequel ― released some 24 years later ― was considerably different.

In a clip from an interview with Australian radio station Triple J that was shared on social media Monday, the actor had a less-than-positive take on 2024’s Gladiator II, which starred Paul Mescal and was also directed by Scott.

“The recent sequel that we don’t have to name out loud is a really good example of, even the people in that engine room not actually understanding what made that first one special,” Crowe said in the clip. “It wasn’t the pomp. It wasn’t the circumstance. It wasn’t the action. It was the moral core.”

Regarding the original film, he added, “The thing is, there was a daily fight on that set. It was a daily fight to keep that moral core of the character. The amount of times that they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus — it’s like, you’re taking........

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