Russell Crowe says we may never hear from him again as he considers retirement

Gladiator actor Russell Crowe has announced he’s considering retirement, as he considers the next chapter of his life.

Russell Crowe has been the star of several world-renowned films over his career, most notably Gladiator, Les Miserables and DC’s Man of Steel, but is now considering putting it all behind him, as he reflects on getting older.

Crowe recently spoke in an interview with Variety about his long career, its highlights, and what he’d consider to be his next steps, as he’ll be turning 60 years-old next year. He said: “You are standing in front of the mirror, and go: ‘Who the f*** is that?’”.

Despite pondering his growing age, it hasn’t changed Crowe’s very busy schedule, recently starring in his first Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Thor: Love and Thunder, where he played the Greek God Zeus, and more recently his main role in The Pope’s Exorcist.

There’s also been a lot of speculation about his return in the upcoming Gladiator sequel, which Crowe has repeatedly dismissed, saying “They should be f****** paying me for the amount of questions I am asked about a film I am not even in … It has nothing to do with me. In that world, I am dead. Six feet under. But I do admit to a certain tinge of jealousy, because it reminds me of when I was younger and what it meant for me, in my life.”

That being said, Crowe still has fond memories of the film, and expressed profound respect for its director Ridley Scott in the same interview, even hinting that he retirement could be postponed if Scott wants him to return for a different project.

“I am in that period now. I will take Ridley Scott as my role model: he is still discovering new things in his work. Or I will just stop and you will never hear from me again. I haven’t decided what it’s going to be. These are two very valid choices,”

Regardless of when Crowe decides to step away from acting, he’ll be leaving behind an incredible legacy of beloved films across several genres. That being said, it’d be great to see him return for the sequel to Gladiator, even if it’s just a flashback scene to the events of the first movie.