Narcissus was the one that killed Commodus. Originally (though the script was not finished when they started shooting Gladiator) since they were sure Commodus was the main villain, they chose, logically, to name the main hero according to his real historical killer. Hence Narcissus for the lead role. Though they already knew they were making his character something far different from what he really was. But it didnt matter, Narcissus was a really obscure historical figure, they had some room to make the changes without hurting too much someone’s sense of history. Enters Russell Crowe, who probably hasnt even read a script when he entered the project, and I doubt he had many pages read, or was willing to read, before entering the actual production and shooting of the project. He reads the (still unfinished) script, and realizes the main character has that fucking name Narcissus. Crowe being who he is, and awfully aware of his more-than-human levels of tesosterone and virility refuses to have an historical figure character sully his good name. He calls the writers and tells them he should have a better name, something like Superbus or Virilus, cause that kicks ass. Nah, forget that, I got it! it’s gotta be MAXIMMMMUS!!!
And this is how history is written.
Apparently Russell Crowe had a huge jealousy fever, that has still not abated, when he saw Butler belly his “This is Sparta!”. Crowe knew that sentence was made for his mouth and rumbling lips, he would have delivered it so much better. Though he had thought shooting “Russell Crowe!!!” in the same way as “This is Sparta!” would have carried the same meaning without leaving too many historically inept spectators behind.
Gladiator was a p.o.s. that had bad characterizations (basically Maximus has only qualities, I thought they stopped making those kind of heroes in the 30s) while the main villain had only flaws (but still, even though he was showed as a coward and one with little physical abilities-especially comparing to MAXIMMMMUS!!!-, he had to be prepped for a final fight sequence with the hero. So a little cutscene where we show ok he might be a coward, and all of the flaws on Earth have chosen him as their home, but he can still fight mean in a gladiatorial combat. Darn, I wonder if we will have a final fight in an arena between this awfully bad guy and our all-purposes hero, and that 20 mns only into the movie).
Moreover it really didnt know what movie it wanted to be; a remake of “The Fall of the Roman Empire” of which it copied all the storyframe regarding politics and the plays of power or a savage movie about gladiatorial combat, bloodlust of the masses, raw organized violence. As befits a script in progress while shooting, it was never sure enough of what it was to invest properly on its critical parts, the ones they needed to focus on. This movie should have been either higher browed or more organic, there was no middle ground. Scott ripped his toga here.
Both Scott and Crowe have showned a steady regular decline over the last decade. They get a very interesting script, but decide to go back to their last big success together and do Gladiator 2: Lost in Sherwood. End of the story. With a little French bashing throwned in for good measure, that can never hurt.