Work has reportedly now begun on the long-rumored sequel to Gladiator, the Oscar winning swords-and-sandals epic starring Russell Crowe. Released more than 20 years ago, a follow-up to Gladiator has been both on and off the cards since the release of the first outing, with a report by Puck News revealing that returning director Ridley Scott and his crew are now looking for their main cast to play key characters in Gladiator 2.

While nothing is revealed regarding who Scott and his team are eyeing to lead the long-awaited sequel, the report does go on to state that production on Gladiator 2 could begin as soon as May 2023. Which would give the crew several months to bring their core ensemble together.

Released back in 2000, the first Gladiator centers on Russell Crowe as Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. Gladiator was a monumental success upon release, earning over $400 million worldwide as well as being nominated for 11 Oscars, winning for Best Picture and Best Actor.

Rumors of a sequel have circulated ever since the release of the first Gladiator, with many wondering how exactly the story could continue considering that main character Maximus is killed come the movie’s end. At one time, singer and songwriter Nick Cave had pitched a more fantastical follow-up, which would have seen Maximus in purgatory before being resurrected as an immortal warrior, fighting in the Crusades, WWII, and the Vietnam War; with the ending revealing that in the modern-day time period, the character now works at The Pentagon.

It is unknown what exactly the direction of Gladiator 2 will be, but Scott has since assured fans that he and Top Gun: Maverick writer Peter Craig have found a “logical” way to continue the story. ”We have a good footprint, a good, logical place to go,” Scott previously said of the project. “You can’t just do another Gladiator type movie. You’ve got to follow…there’s enough components from the first one to pick up the ball and continue it."

Related: Gladiator 2: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know

Will Chris Hemsworth Lead Gladiator 2 as Maximus’ Son?

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Frankly, it is unlikely that Gladiator 2 will follow Maximus through time, with the story instead much more likely to follow a descendant of Crowe’s character. Perhaps with Crowe simply featuring in a “spirit-guide” type cameo, if at all. Further rumors have claimed that Thor: Love and Thunder star Chris Hemsworth will lead the Gladiator sequel as Maximus’ son, Lucius Verus.

Played in the first movie by Spencer Treat Clark, the rumored storyline will follow Lucius several decades after the events of Gladiator, picking up with an older Lucius as he searches for the truth about his biological father and discovering that he is in fact the secret son of Maximus.

While this is all mere speculation at this stage, an insider has previously revealed that none other than Russell Crowe himself favors his Thor: Love and Thunder co-star Chris Hemsworth to lead Gladiator 2 as the son of Maximus. "Russell thinks he could be the only man to credibly play his son in a Gladiator sequel," explained the source before further claiming that both Crowe and Hemsworth have "spent hours musing over script ideas."

Could Gladiator 2 be happening at last? How would you like to see the sequel continue the legacy of Maximus?