Gladiator is arguably Ridley Scott's masterpiece. It follows the Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), who's reduced to an enslaved gladiator after the treacherous Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) seizes his father's throne to become the Emperor of Rome. Gladiator has gone down as one of the greatest films ever made in the 24 years since its release. And during that time, there have been many, many attempts to create a sequel. Gladiator II, starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington, is finally hitting theaters this month, but it was a long and rocky road to get there. Its production has been plagued with issues from beginning to end.