Gladiator (2000 film) Gladiator (2000 film) Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film was jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures. It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed (in his final role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays Hispano-Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial
James Foley (director) James Foley (director) James Foley (born December 28, 1953) is an American film director. His 1986 film "At Close Range" was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival. Other films he has directed include "Glengarry Glen Ross", based on the play of the same name by David Mamet, and "The Chamber", based on the novel of the same name by author John Grisham. He also directed the two sequels to "Fifty Shades of Grey", "Fifty Shades Darker" (2017) and "Fifty Shades Freed" (2018). Foley was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, the son of a lawyer. He graduated