History Trivia / Gladiator

* SparedByTheCut: Gracchus was supposed to die in the original script.

* FakeNationality: Everyone. But Creator/RussellCrowe is most definitely not a Spaniard.
** And Beninese Creator/DjimonHounsou is most definitely not a Numidian, i.e. a native to northeastern Algeria by the Tunisian border. Averted on the other hand by German Creator/RalfMoeller, who plays the Germanic gladiator Hagen and is even from the Rhine region where such a slave would be likeliest to come from, even though he doesn't look ''[[PhenotypeStereotype stereotypically]]'' German.

* NeverWorkWithChildrenOrAnimals: Working with animals was a continuous headache, starting with the fact that both Morocco and the United Kingdom have strict policies on their importation. This resulted in the Circus scenes using mostly animals from Rabat Zoo, and Maximus's trained wolf being changed to a dog played by a Belgian Shepherd. The tigers were at first nervous about being surrounded by so many people, which worked well for the fight scenes, but got used to it soon. After that, the real challenge became to goad them into fighting.

** The big one is obviously Creator/OliverReed's death. In the script, Proximo was captured by Commodus' goons and brought to the arena, where Commodus wanted to force him and Maximus to fight each other for his own amusement. He would survive the film, however, and bury the figurines in the arena after Maximus's death. When it was Reed who died, Scott phoned his script doctor, who had just returned to England, and told him to come back and rewrite the last act in a way that could allow him to use the scenes already filmed by Reed[[note]]Although Reed's contract allowed Scott to recast his role and shoot everything again with another actor for any reason, Scott wanted to keep Reed in the movie.[[/note]]

* StillbornFranchise: Music/NickCave was asked to pen a sequel. It featured poor Maximus being reincarnated by the Roman gods, then teleported across time to fight as a soldier in ''every war ever fought''. His "touching the earth" thing became a "ritual" to keep him sane. [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs No, really]]. According to various reports, Creator/RussellCrowe was all for it before the project was abandoned.

* TroubledProduction: The film went through constant onset rewrites, to the point where Creator/RichardHarris stopped paying attention. Creator/RussellCrowe allegedly questioned every aspect of the evolving script and strode off the set when he did not get answers. But that was nothing compared to the biggest problem the film faced - Creator/OliverReed, cast in what was supposed to be his CareerResurrection, died of a heart attack during filming in Malta before all of his scenes had been shot. Not only did this necessitate having the effects company spend $3 million creating a CGI body double, but it also caused story alterations (his character was supposed to make it through the end of the film, as opposed to dying near the climax).

** Creator/RussellCrowe was continually unhappy with the screenplay, rewriting much of it to suit his own ends. He would frequently walk off the set if he didn't get his way. The famous line "And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." he initially refused to say, telling writer William Nicholson "Your lines are garbage but I'm the greatest actor in the world and I can make even garbage sound good". He objected to a sex scene between Maximus and Lucilla, feeling that it would be out-of-character for a man avenging his family's death. He also pushed for Maximus to have a very obvious emotional breakdown when he found his dead family, rather than the StiffUpperLip ManlyTears described in the script.

** At one point, Crowe wanted to imitate Creator/AntonioBanderas' accent in order to show Maximus's Spanish origin.

** Originally, Maximus was supposed to fight ''Proximo'' in the Colliseum after being captured, probably as a penultimate KickTheDog from Commodus. But Creator/OliverReed's [[ActorExistenceFailure death from a heart attack during production]] forced them to rewrite.

* HostilityOnTheSet:
** Creator/OliverReed, for whatever reason, took a dislike to Creator/RussellCrowe, even challenging him to a fight. Crowe, for his part, spoke negatively about Reed.
** This was inverted for Crowe and Creator/RichardHarris, who became friends instantly. Both resonate well with the characters and their station.

** Creator/ConnieNielsen found the 2000-year-old signet ring which she wears in the movie in an antique store. She was a surprising fount of information in terms of Roman history, as she had always been fascinated by the period. She would be frequently consulted over accurate historical details (what was done with her advices, [[ArtisticLicenseHistory on the other hand]], is anyone's guess).

* AFIS100Years100HeroesAndVillains:
** #50 Hero, General Maximus Decimus Meridius

** In addition, the DVD contains an Easter egg of a test of an animated rhino fight that was never developed. This was the second chance after it proved impossible to train a rhino for Maximus to fight. Amusingly enough, it also proved impossible to animate the fight as well.

* [[AuthorExistenceFailure Actor Existence Failure]]: Creator/OliverReed died of a heart attack before he could film his final scenes, hence Proximo is killed by Commodus' soldiers filmed with a FakeShemp from behind, while a clip of Reed saying "Shadows and dust" from earlier is intercut.

* TheCharacterDiedWithHim: Proximo was supposed to survive the movie, but instead he's killed off due to [[AuthorExistenceFailure Oliver Reed's death during production]].

** Creator/RussellCrowe had just gained 40 pounds for ''Film/TheInsider''... which he had to lose for this film. He did so by doing normal farm work at his home in Australia.

** The big one is obviously Oliver Reed's death. In the script, Proximo was captured by Commodus's goons and brought to the arena, where Commodus wanted to force him and Maximus to fight each other for his own amusement. He would survive the film, however, and bury the figurines in the arena after Maximus's death. When it was Reed who died, Scott phoned his script doctor, who had just returned to England, and told him to come back and rewrite the last act in a way that could allow him to use the scenes already filmed by Reed[[note]]Although Reed's contract allowed Scott to recast his role and shoot everything again with another actor for any reason, Scott wanted to keep Reed in the movie.[[/note]]
** Crowe accidentally scratched his face during the battle scene, forcing the crew to include the injuries in the movie.

* StillbornFranchise: Music/NickCave was asked to pen a sequel. It featured poor Maximus being reincarnated by the Roman gods, then teleported across time to fight as a soldier in ''every war ever fought''. His "touching the earth" thing became a "ritual" to keep him sane. [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs No, really]]. According to various reports, Russell Crowe was all for it before the project was abandoned.

** Creator/ConnieNielsen surprised the crew with her knowledge of Ancient Rome society and became an unofficial consultant for the film.

* Gladiator is one of the [[https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-complete-list-of-movies-and-tv-shows-on-the-interna-1782918945 533 listed movies and Tv shows on board the International Space Station.]]

* Gladiator is one of the 533 listed movies and Tv shows on board the International Space Station.

** Originally, Maximus was supposed to fight ''Proximo'' in the Colliseum after being captured, probably as a penultimate KickTheDog from Commodus. Except Creator/OliverReed's [[ActorExistenceFailure death from a heart attack during production]] forced them to rewrite.

** An early version of the script was to include gladiators endorsing products in the arena, but was not included as the director believed it would [[RealityisUnrealistic not be believable]] to the audience despite being historically accurate.

* PropRecycling: The leather armor Maximus wears when he first becomes a gladiator was originally from ''The Lat Temptation of Christ'' and had also been featured prominently in ''The Viking Sagas''. A decade later it was used in the second episode of ''Vikings''. It really went home with costumers!

* CaliforniaDoubling: Malta doubled for Rome (well, the Colosseum). Additionally, a forest in England was used for the opening battle in Germania and Maximus' first gladiator battles were fought in Morocco.

** Creator/ConnieNielsen found the 2000-year-old signet ring which she wears in the movie in an antique store. She was a surprising fount of information in terms of Roman history, as she had always been fascinated by the period. She would be frequently consulted over accurate historical details.

** Creator/RussellCrowe was continually unhappy with the screenplay, rewriting much of it to suit his own ends. He would frequently walk off the set if he didn't get his way. The famous line "And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." he initially refused to say, telling writer William Nicholson "Your lines are garbage but I'm the greatest actor in the world and I can make even garbage sound good". On a positive note, he objected to a sex scene between Maximus and Lucilla, feeling that it would be out-of-character for a man avenging his family's death. He also pushed for Maximus to have a very obvious emotional breakdown when he found his dead family, rather than the StiffUpperLip ManlyTears described in the script.
** Creator/JoaquinPhoenix decided on his own that Commodus would become fatter as he grew in power and debauchery, and started increasing his meals until Scott realized what was going on and called him out.
** At one point, Crowe wanted to imitate Creator/AntonioBanderas' accent in order to show Maximus's Spanish origin. Scott also shut that down immediately.

** At one point, Crowe wanted to imitate Creator/AntonioBanderas's accent in order to show Maximus's Spanish origin. Scott also shut that down immediately.

** The role of Maximus was originally written with Creator/AntonioBanderas in mind. Creator/MelGibson turned it down, because he felt he was too old for the part. Creator/HughJackman was also considered.

** Creator/JasonLee was originally cast as Loki. Scheduling confilicts meant he had to take the smaller role of Azrael.

** Crowe accidentally scratched his face during the battle scene, forcing the crew the include those injuries in the movie.

** Creator/RichardHarris was originally considered for Proximo.