After wowing audiences with his sword-swinging battles last year (00), RUSSELL CROWE will be asked to don his sandals once more in a prequel to GLADIATOR (2000). The producers of the OSCAR-winning Roman epic are currently in talks and are keen to bring Russell back for second instalment.

Producer DOUGlas WICK says the follow-up is "certainly something being discussed, but there's been no decision made. We're looking at lots of options. Russell has a lot of voltage on screen. "

The film has raked $452 million (£347 million) worldwide, but Wick insists money is not the motivation for doing another movie. He says, "You don't finally do something like that unless you have a dazzling story to tell. What we certainly won't do is some shadow of the first one to grind out a few bucks. " (RP/WNWCOM)

Source: WENN