RUSSELL CROWE 'MADE DEATH THREATS' AT GLADIATOR PRODUCER

Russell Crowe allegedly threatened to kill one of the producers working on hit movie Gladiator over a pay dispute, according to a new tell-all book.

The actor was the star of Sir Ridley Scott's 2000 epic, which raked in more than $450 million at the global box office and won five Oscars.

But Russell Crowe was left fuming when he discovered assistants working on the film were receiving paltry wages - and allegedly threatened producer Branko Lustig with violence unless the issue was resolved.

In Nicole LaPorte's book The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies, and a Company called DreamWorks, Branko Lustig alleges Crowe told him, "You motherf**ker. I will kill you with my bare hands."

And the threat left Branko Lustig so shaken, he considered calling DreamWorks boss Steven Spielberg to resign from the project.

He adds, "(I said,) 'Steven. I'm leaving. Russell wants to kill me. I'm leaving.'"

Russell Crowe's spokesperson says of the claims, "I've been told that (online retailer) Amazon already has the book discounted. Go figure."

Nicole LaPorte's book goes on sale next month (May10).