Part 2/9:
Gladiator, a film starring Russell Crowe that cemented its status as a modern classic, concluded with a near perfect ending. This leaves little room or reason for a sequel, yet here we are. Reports suggest that Gladiator 2 is a massively expensive project, with rumors claiming a budget exceeding $350 million. Such a high production cost means the movie would need to gross well over a billion dollars just to break even—an ambitious and risky financial gamble.