On Saturday morning, Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe teased his Maltese fans that he would go to Fort Ricasoli at 3.30pm through a tweet many mistook as a joke. 

And true to his word, Crowe was spotted cycling inside the fort which played host to the blockbuster film Gladiator, which won him a Best Actor Oscar in 2000.

Enter Maximus. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Crowe is currently in Malta with a team filming Prizefighter, a biopic about 19th-century pugilist Jem Belcher. 

Crowe was seen cycling around the historical fort on a mountain bicycle before posing for pictures for Times of Malta. The actor, who appeared to have ditched his 'bad boy' image, was accompanied by film commissioner Johann Grech, before meeting some fans who showed up on site.

"It's a very strange thing to realise that I hadn't been back when I should have... I think Malta's amazing as a place to set stories. There's a thousand stories in every bay here," he said.

Crowe shot Ridley Scott's Gladiator in Malta in 1999. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The actor posing with a fan. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Fort Ricasoli, the large fortification in Kalkara built between 1670 and 1693, was the main setting for the gladiator scenes in Ridley Scott's epic film.

In the last few days, Crowe has taken to Twitter to declare his "love" for Malta. 

“I fell in love with Malta in 1990 and I’m being reminded on every corner exactly why. This place is fascinating,” Crowe said in a tweet with an accompanying photo of Barrakka Gardens in Valletta on Friday.

Speaking on Saturday, Crowe went on to declare his love for ricotta pastizzi after a visit to Valletta.

Crowe flexes his muscles for Times of Malta.

Crowe is in Malta to shoot another film. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli