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After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now rule Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find the strength to restore the glory of Rome to its people. In the years since the release of the first film, there have been numerous attempts to write a sequel. Musician Nick Cave was invited by Russell Crowe and Sir Ridley Scott to write a version. His version focused on the more mythic elements of ancient Rome and would see Maximus reach the afterlife, only to be confronted by other souls who have yet to progress further. Eventually, Jupiter and other Roman deities task him with returning to Earth to find and kill Hephaestus, the ancient deity who betrayed them. From there, he is resurrected as a Christian and finds himself on his way back to Rome, on a mission to stop the spread of Christianity, as he crosses paths with the new Emperor Lucius. The film would end with Maximus cursed to live forever, featuring a montage of soldiers fighting in the Crusades, World War II, and the Vietnam War, eventually revealing a modern-day Maximus working in the Pentagon in Washington. The studio decided not to proceed with this version, but the script is available to read online. Emperor Geta: The Gods SAID! Featured on The 7PM Project: July 3, 2024 Episode (2024)