Russell Crowe touches down in Gran Canaria
Russell Crowe has arrived in Gran Canaria. The actor, best known for playing Maximus in Gladiator and mathematician John Forbes Nash in A Beautiful Mind, landed on the island this Saturday to take part in a new international film project.
The Oscar winner will stay in Gran Canaria over the coming days to shoot The Last Druid, a fantasy production that has selected several locations across the island and brings together a star-studded international cast. The film is directed by American filmmaker William Eubank, who will use various natural landscapes in Gran Canaria to recreate ancient Caledonia – the territory that now forms modern-day Scotland.
From Gladiator to Celtic warrior
And yes, Russell Crowe is returning to the era of the Roman Empire – but this time, he is switching sides. More than 25 years after becoming General Maximus in Ridley Scott’s award-winning film, the actor will play an ageing Celtic leader forced to take up arms once more to face the Roman legions and defend his people.
He will be joined by an international cast including Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), Andreas Pietschmann (Dark), Daniel Zovatto (Don’t Breathe), and Australian actor Stacy Clausen.
Why Gran Canaria replaced Catalonia
Although the team initially planned to shoot part of the film in Catalonia, regional authorities suspended the filming permit for the Sant Cugat area due to health prevention measures linked to an outbreak of swine fever. This forced a complete reorganisation of the shooting schedule.
Gran Canaria then became one of the production’s main locations, helped by its competitive tax incentive policy for the audiovisual sector and the involvement of local producer Adrián Guerra through Nostromo Pictures.
A story of survival and rebellion
Set in ancient Caledonia – the territory now occupied by Scotland – The Last Druid tells the story of the Celtic tribes’ resistance against the advancing Roman Empire. The film blends action, adventure and fantasy in a tale marked by the struggle for survival, the defence of territory, and the clash between two civilisations.
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