Russell Crowehas had a successful, storied career so far in the world of film. He has appeared in mega-blockbusters likeGladiator,Les Misérables,andThor: Love and Thunder,just to name a few. The imminent release ofGladiator II,the sequel to Crowe’s Academy Award-winning film, does not feature the Australian actor, (which he is"slightly uncomfortable"about.) It brings to mind another highly successful, award-winning Russell Crowe film that is yet to have a sequel green-lit, despite the actor’s best hopes:Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
Released in 2003,Peter Weir’sadaptation ofPatrick O’Brian’srenowned nautical novels was critically acclaimed, garnering ten Oscar nominations that year and winning in two of those categories; not to mention its box-office return of over 200 million dollars, which isn’t anything to be sniffed at, either. It was unfortunate to be nominated againstLord of the Rings: Return of the King,the winner of eleven Oscars that night,and to be released against the firstPirates of the Caribbeanfilm, a more accessible and downright enjoyable film on the high seas.It’s for those reasons that we are yet to see Crowe return to this role he loved so much,much to his dismay.
What Is ‘Master and Commander’ About?
Master and Commandertells the story of Captain Jack Aubrey(Crowe) and his surgeon friend Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), who are part of the British navy in the early 1800s. Aubrey commands the ship ‘HMS Surprise’ in a high-stakes pursuit of a formidable French privateer, the Acheron, off the coasts of South America and the Galapagos Islands.The film balances its historical accuracy with thrills on the high seas,the plot taking many masterly and unexpected turns along the way as it leads toa riveting and open-ended conclusion. The story is a mix of action and character-driven drama, focusing on the themes of leadership, loyalty, and friendship.The film is celebrated for its detailed depiction of naval life, intense battle scenes, and stunning cinematography,making it a richly atmospheric war adventure.
Crowe Really Wants To Take to the High Seas Again
The timing of the film’s release was unfortunate and ended up leading to itnot performing as well at the box office as it should have, given its budget of 150 million dollars. But the film comes from a 21-strong series of books,each with gripping plots and daring action set-pieces that would be arguably perfect for the silver screen.That’s not to mention thatMaster and Commandereven ended as if it were set up for a sequel to be made shortly after its release, as well. One might even think that Crowe had enough star power to force through a sequel, but that just doesn’t seem to be plausible either, despite his best efforts.
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“They’re rascals and scoundrels, we’re villains and knaves.”
It was reported in 2009that Crowe was in talks to reprise his role, even confirming a script had been written as well. With that evidently stalling,Crowe tweeted in 2010that fans should emailTom Rothman, an executive at Fox, if they want the sequel to be made.With other projects taking his time and focus, Crowe wasn’t as outspoken about getting a sequel made,before going publicabout why another swashbuckling installment, unfortunately, might not be created with him involved.It was reported in 2021thatPatrick Nesswas writing a prequel script for Fox, but there has been radio silence ever since on that front. There has been separate talks ofmaking a TV series instead, but that hasn’t gotten off the ground either. If we are left asking ourselves whether we will everget a sequel to the film, now it’s unlikely, unfortunately.But that hasn’t stopped Crowe trying to return to one of his most interesting roles and one of his best films.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the Worldis now available to rent on Apple TV in the U.S.
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