“I called him and asked, are you still alive”: Hilarious Way Ridley Scott Got a Renowned Artist to Make Enchanting Gladiator 2 Opening Sequence

Ridley Scott is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He and his late brother, Tony Scott have played a huge role in taking Hollywood to new heights with their excellent filmmaking skills. Among the many legendary franchises Ridley Scott has to his name, Gladiator is one of the most renowned ones.

A sequel of the historical epic was released a couple of months ago. The movie is a visual feast from start to finish and that includes the opening credits sequence which was painted by an Italian artist, Gianluigi Toccafondo. Hilariously, Scott had a very amusing approach to reaching back to the artist after they worked together years ago.

Ridley Scott had a humorous approach to reconnecting with artist Gianluigi Toccafondo

Gladiator, released in 2000, was the second highest-grossing film of the year and won five Academy Awards including Best Picture. The film starred Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, and Oliver Reed among others. Both Crowe and Phoenix gave performances that are praised to date with the former even winning the Oscar for Best Actor.

Over two decades later, a sequel was released. Although it did not bring back Phoenix and Crowe, abundant star power was there with the likes of Joe Quinn, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Paul Mescal in lead roles. One of the most incredible things about this movie is that the opening sequence is as attention-grabbing as the picturesque scenes and incredible performances throughout the movie.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Ridley Scott revealed that the sequence was painted by the Italian artist, Gianluigi Toccafondo. He recounted:

I called him up and asked, ‘Are you still alive and want to do this?’ I had him animate elements from [the original] Gladiator so now you’re ‘being entertained’ before [the action even starts].

Scott made a brilliant choice in reenlisting the artist, as Gladiator II captivates from its opening sequence. Despite initial controversies and competition from Jon M. Chu’s fantasy film Wicked, released on the same day, the movie enjoyed a successful box office run. The director called the movie “the best thing I’ve ever made” and is already working on a sequel so fans will most probably not have to wait too long for it.

Ridley Scott is content with producing while others helm the cinematic worlds he helped create

For his contributions to film, Scott was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 and named a Knight Grand Cross by King Charles III this year. He has mostly directed movies in the sci-fi, historical, and crime genre. Needless to say, all of them are as great as the other one.

Now 87, Scott is stepping back, focusing on producing rather than directing the franchises he helped establish. In the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he reflected on this, saying that he is at peace with it.

I’ve created the pace visually for a while. I know exactly what I’ve done and how it has been influential. And from that, I can’t hope for anything more other than to keep it alive. I don’t care what the platform is. I’m keen to go home and watch it. All these subjects are embalmed forever, and that’s very healthy.

Scott has left an indelible mark on franchises like Alien and Blade Runner, though it’s a sore point for his production company, Scott Free, that they don’t own these franchises despite his significant contributions. The director claimed that this was because someone in their company made careless decisions when they were supposed to rejoin the ownership.