Now a 'Gladiator' sequel in the pipeline

Cave was asked to write the screenplay at the request of Scott and star Russell Crowe but the idea was eventually scrapped after the film's studio decided it was too hard to follow on from the first film, in which Crowe’s character, Maximus, dies, reports themirror.co.uk.

In Cave’s script, however, Maximus is reincarnated by Roman gods and he goes on to become the saviour of early Christians.

Scott, on the other hand, has not rejected Cave's version for the sequel to the 200 film.

"We tried [to go with Cave's script]. Russell didn't want to let it go, obviously, because it worked very well...When I say 'worked very well', I don't refer to success. I mean, as a piece it works very well. Storytelling, [it] works brilliantly," said Scott.

"I think [Cave] enjoyed doing it, and I think it was one of those things that he thought, Well, maybe there's a sequel where we can adjust the fantasy and bring [Maximus] back from the dead," he added.

Cave’s script has also been described by a blogger as "one of the most amazing, out-of-left-field screenplays I have ever read".