Ridley Scott, the director of Gladiator II, has slammed recent claims by Denzel Washington, star of the film, that there was indeed a same-sex kiss cut from the final cut of the movie.

Last week, Washington, who plays a bisexual slave trader in the movie, made headlines with his comment: “I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken. I kissed a guy full on the lips, and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet.

At the Hollywood premiere on Monday, Scott strongly denies the complaint, calling it “bullshit.” He further explains, “They never did. They acted the moment – it didn’t happen.”

Ridley Scott () — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Later that evening, Washington appeared to back off from his earlier remarks on the red carpet. Speaking of the scene in question, he said, “It really is much ado about nothing. They are making more out of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands; I gave him a peck, and I killed him.

Those discussions have opened the issue of what was left to make it into the cut of Gladiator II. Now 2 hours and 28 minutes long, the film had originally run with more than an hour of additional footage. Even leading lady Connie Nielsen, the mother of Paul Mescal’s character, said most of her own scenes were cut.

“My grieving scene didn’t make it into the film either,” Nielsen shared. She dismissed any suggestion of bias, saying, “It’s not homophobia. It’s just there was no room for it.” Producer Michael Pruss echoed this, stating, “There was so much stuff that was shot that didn’t make it into the film. It was truly a non-event.”

Gladiator II ends with some tough battles, intense character dynamics, and emotional arcs. The film boasts an ensemble cast, including Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, Pedro Pascal as General Acacius, and Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta.

Paul Mescal, the lead of the film, sat with Attitude to discuss how the movie will translate to everyone. “I think the film will find its way into everybody’s heart—the guys, the gays, the girls, the mums, the dads… The bros will love it as well,” Mescal said, pointing out how the film will be universally entertaining.

While some moments may have stirred controversy, the filmmakers emphasize that decisions about cuts were based solely on narrative pacing and cohesion. Scott and his team appear focused on ensuring Gladiator II stands as a compelling and action-packed continuation of the original, blending high-stakes drama with a fresh ensemble cast.

The buzz surrounding the film continues to fuel conversations, but whether it’s the kiss or the cuts, both Scott and Washington seem eager to let the story speak for itself on screen.