Russell Crowe believes that a lack of "moral core" meant that Gladiator II "failed" to replicate the success of the original film.
The 62-year-old star won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of grieving Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott's 2000 historical epic but felt that the 2024 sequel – which featured Paul Mescal in the lead role – lost the emotional core that made the original picture so successful.