“There Are Very Few Films Left That I’m Interested In”: Denzel Washington Explains His Gladiator 2 Casting

Gladiator 2 star Denzel Washinton explains why he accepted a role in Ridley Scott’s upcoming sequel. Serving as a follow-up to 2000’s Gladiator, Scott’s anticipated historical epic takes place 20 years after Maximus’ death, following Paul Mescal’s Lucius as he becomes a fighter in the Colosseum. The Gladiator 2 cast features a mix of newcomers and actors from the original, including Washington as Macrinus, who has been described as a wealthy arms dealer who also owns a host of gladiator fighters.

In a recent interview with Empire, Washington touches on his decision to join Gladiator 2, revealing that Scott himself is a major reason why he took on the role. According to the actor, he feels he’s now at a point in his career where there aren’t many films he’s truly “interested in” making, but working with Scott was reason enough to take on the part of Macrinus. Check out Washington’s comment below:

“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley. We had a great go-round the first go-round [on American Gangster ], and here we are. He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86.”