Russell Crowe is heading back to familiar territory. Nearly 25 years after his Oscar-winning turn as Maximus in ‘Gladiator‘ the actor has signed on to lead ‘The Last Druid‘ where he’ll portray a Celtic elder fighting to protect his people from Roman invasion.
Deadline reports the story follows a peaceful mountain community in Caledonia whose existence is threatened when they catch the attention of a ruthless Roman Emperor. Will Eubank, known for ‘Underwater‘ and ‘Land of Bad‘ is set to direct the historical epic.
The project brings together an experienced producing team including Ben Pugh from 42, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Fred Berger of Range Media Partners, and Nostromo’s Adrían Guerra. Brandon Millan, Sam Wasson, and George Hsieh are attached as executive producers. AGC is launching sales at the American Film Market, with Range Media Partners and CAA Finance handling U.S. rights.
While Crowe won’t be appearing in the upcoming ‘Gladiator II‘, his character’s death in the original making that impossible, this return to the Roman era arrives amid a diverse slate of projects for the actor. He’s currently involved with ‘Kraven The Hunter‘ ‘The Beast in Me‘ and ‘Rothko‘ showcasing his continued range across genres.