Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo would not confirm or deny on Monday whether Gladiator 2, the sequel to the 2000 Ridley Scott film would again be shot in Malta.  

Rumours have swirled among industry insiders that the second Gladiator Roman action/adventure will be filmed in Malta.  

Director Ridley Scott, who will be directing the film, was in Malta last April shooting part of his upcoming historical epic Napoleon. 

Scott’s executive producer Aidan Elliot had said it was “a no-brainer” for them to choose Malta for the shoot thanks to the lucrative cash-back scheme.  

“It just absolutely cemented our decision to go there because not only did we have this great location and backdrop but we also had this incredibly, incredibly generous cash rebate,” Elliot told Deadline in October.

Gladiator 2 would be the third Ridley Scott film shot in Malta.  

The film industry generated €85 million for Malta’s economy last year, Bartolo said on Monday, but that figure does not account for Malta’s cash-back scheme.  

Asked whether Gladiator 2 would be shot in Malta, Clayton Bartolo would only say “Let’s wait and see.” 

“We will continue to work to attract more productions to Malta, not just blockbusters but also smaller productions which can keep jobs going,” he said. 

The film industry can provide opportunities to all sorts of people, the tourism minister said.