A Legendary Panel for a Legendary Film: Behind the Scenes of Gladiator II

On Friday, November 15, the Paramount Theater in Hollywood hosted an extraordinary Q&A that was as epic as the film it celebrated. Director Ridley Scott, alongside 16 of his key collaborators, took the stage to discuss the making of Gladiator II before a packed audience of fellow filmmakers. Moderated by IndieWire's Jim Hemphill, the panel offered a deep dive into the creative process behind one of the year’s most anticipated films.

Joining Scott were cinematographer John Mathieson, costume designer Janty Yates, military costume designer Dave Crossman, production designer Arthur Max, editors Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo, hair department head Giuliano Mariano, makeup department head Jana Carboni, composer Harry Gregson-Williams, visual effects supervisor Mark Bakowski, supervising sound editor Danny Sheehan, supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer Matthew Collinge, production sound mixer Stéphane Bucher, and casting director Kate Rhodes James.

When asked about the qualities he seeks in department heads, Scott was candid: "First, stamina. Then, talent." He revealed that he discovered Gladiator II lead Paul Mescal by chance while binge-watching Normal People. “It’s not my kind of thing really, but I caught it and thought both the guy and the girl were terrific. Then I binged eight hours.” Casting director Kate Rhodes James added that other names were considered, but Scott playfully countered that Mescal had the perfect mix of qualities to take on the legacy of Russell Crowe’s Maximus.

Mescal’s Lucius is just one of many compelling new characters in Gladiator II. Hair and makeup heads Mariano and Carboni shared an unexpected inspiration for twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger): the punk rock ethos of The Sex Pistols. “Ridley wanted them to be edgy,” Carboni noted. “Johnny Rotten was actually our reference, especially for their hair color.”

Costume designer Janty Yates highlighted the decadent style of Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, a former slave turned ruthless social climber. “I loved that he wore his earrings constantly,” Yates said. “The jewelry, the bracelets, the big belts—he wore it all so well and embraced it.”

For many on the panel, including production designer Arthur Max, returning to the Gladiator franchise meant pushing boundaries even further. “We supersized the original movie,” Max explained, citing advancements in digital effects that allowed the team to create breathtaking sequences, including a flooded Colosseum filled with sharks.

For Ridley Scott, at 86, every new project is an opportunity to push himself creatively. “I feel alive when I’m doing a movie,” he shared, revealing that he’s already location scouting for his next epic. With Gladiator II, Scott and his team have once again raised the bar for cinematic storytelling, proving that the ambition behind this franchise remains as towering as ever.