Gladiator 2 arrives soon, with the biggest action sequences ever put on film. Here’s everything you should know about the long-awaited Gladiator sequel!
UPDATE: Gladiator II is out now globally in theaters! Read our review of Gladator II!
2024 is shaping up to be the year of the gladiator, and I excitedly say, “Hell yes; bring it on!” From the upcoming release of Gladiator 2 to the unveiling of details surrounding Spartacus: House of Ashur to the upcoming release of sword-and-sandal series Those About to Die, one thing’s for sure: We’re in for plenty of blood, sport, and gladiatorial excitement. Gladiator II is one of the most anticipated films on this year’s docket, and with its plot, all-star cast, and promised “biggest action sequences ever put on film”, there’s no question why. To get you in the mood, here’s everything you should know about Gladiator 2 … but first, let’s quickly revisit Gladiator.
Everything you should know about Gladiator
The Ridley Scott historical epic Gladiator was released in 2000 and took the cinematic world by storm with its story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe, of UnhingedUnhinged Review: Crowe’s Road Rage Thriller Terrifies). Maximus was a highly respected and beloved Roman general who was sold into slavery and forced to fight to ultimately become the greatest gladiator Ancient Rome had ever seen. Before his life was turned upside down, Maximus was the apple of the emperor’s eye, even over his own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix, of Joker).
When power-hungry Commodus learns his father plans to pass the coronet (crown) to Maximus, he kills his father in a fit of jealous rage, slaughters Maximus’s family, then sells Maximus into slavery. Unbeknownst to Commodus, though, Maximus is plucked from slavery to fight as a gladiator. Due to his strategic prowess and warrior heart, he becomes increasingly popular with the people—a feat he uses to his advantage when he baits Commodus into the arena as the two come face to face in Maximus’s effort to avenge his family.
Gladiator was the second highest-grossing film of 2000 and won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. If you’ve yet to see the epic historical film, you’re gonna want to hop right on that before Gladiator 2 arrives.
What’s the plot of Gladiator 2?
The plot of Gladiator 2 returns us to the arena of blood and sand to follow Lucius Verus, son of Lucilla, nephew of Commodus, and grandson of the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris, of the Harry Potter franchise). Our story picks up about 15 years after the events of Gladiator. According to the award-winning director himself, Ridley Scott, Lucius has been out in the wilderness all this time, having lost touch with his mother. In fact, she thinks he might be dead.
As a child, Lucius had a front-row seat to Maximus’s experience, with the gladiator befriending the boy and the boy forming an attachment to him as his hero. After the events of Gladiator, Lucius was so moved by Maximus’ sacrifice and bravery that he swore to carry on his legacy. However, rather than have Lucius ascend to the throne as Caesar, which was his birthright, Lucilla decides it’s best that he get as far away from Rome as possible.
According to Vanity Fair, after the events of Gladiator, Lucilla sends her son to Numidia on the northern coast of Africa in an effort to shield him from the increasing corruption of Roman society, though young Lucius does not understand why. As a result, the stronger he grows, so, too, does his resentment. Whilst out in the wilderness of Numidia, Roman forces invade the territory and eventually take Lucius captive, among others.
Gladiator 2 will see Lucius as a grown man back in Rome, now fighting in the same gladiatorial arena of his hero, willing to do anything to get his revenge against the Roman Empire. The film will also dive into anti-war politics, with Pedro Pascal playing a military figure who no longer wants to throw away Rome’s young men on war. As a result, he, too, is condemned to fight as a gladiator, but there’s conspiracy a-brewing on more fronts than just his: Someone sees an opportunity in Lucius and has plans to use him as a weapon to start a much-desired revolution.
Gladiator 2 release date: When is the sequel coming out?
The theatrical release date for Gladiator 2 is scheduled for November 22, 2024. However, the long-awaited sequel will be released one week earlier, on November 15, 2024, in select international markets.
Will the Gladiator sequel be available to stream?
While Gladiator is currently streaming on Paramount+, Peacock, and Prime Video, there is no word on a day-and-date streaming release for the Gladiator sequel. When (and if) it is released to stream, it will likely be on Paramount+.
Is Ridley Scott returning to direct Gladiator 2?
Ridley Scott is absolutely returning to direct Gladiator II. Scott, who won the Oscar for Best Director on Gladiator, is also producing the film through his production company, Scott Free. Several other artists who brought the original Gladiator to life are also returning to Scott’s sequel, including cinematographer John Mathieson, production designer Arthur Max, and costume designer Janty Yates, whom you’ll most recently remember for her immaculate work on last year’s Napoleon, also directed by Ridley Scott.
Who’s in the cast of Gladiator 2?
Headlining the Gladiator 2 cast is Paul Mescal (Normal People) as Lucius Versus, a character originated by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator. Lucius is described as a nobleman who renounced his privilege and returns full of rage, which becomes his gift in the arena. Predominantly known for starring in independent roles, Gladiator 2 is the biggest film of Mescal’s young career.
Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) is playing Emperor Caracalla, whom Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) was originally rumored to be playing, but he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Emperor Caracalla was a real Roman figure who ruled from 198 to 217 AD. Based on his history, it’s unknown if Caracalla could be the villain to succeed Commodus. It’s highly possible, however, that Gladiator 2 could seek to change historical events for its narrative benefit, but we shall see.
Pedro Pascal will star as Roman general Marcus Acacius; Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) debuts as Co-Emperor Geta, Caracalla’s brother, an unhinged ruler who allegedly makes Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus seem sane and reasoning. Geta is hellbent on hosting deadly gladiator games. Denzel Washington will star as Macrinus, a former gladiator who earned his freedom, and additionally, May Calamawy (Moon Knight, Ramy), Lior Raz (Operation Finale), Peter Mensah (Avatar), and Matt Lucas (Wonka) also star, but their roles are not yet known.
The actors reprising their roles from Gladiator are Connie Nielson (Nobody) as Lucilla, Lucius’s mother, Derek Jacobi (Good Omens) as Senator Gracchus, an ally of Lucilla and Maximus, and Djimon Hounsou (A Quiet Place: Day One), who returns to play Maximus’s ally Juba.
What is Denzel Washington’s role in Gladiator 2?
Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington will play the role of Macrinus, a former gladiator who earned his freedom and became a wealthy arms and commodities dealer. However, his character continues to hold a grudge against the emperors. While Mescal is the film’s lead, there’s been an enormous amount of interest around Washington’s character, largely in part because of his remarkable Hollywood career.
Macrinus is a power broker, an arms dealer who supplies food for the armies in Europe, supplies wine and oil, makes steel, and makes spears, weapons, cannons, and catapults. He also sponsors and assigns gladiators to their fights—much like Proximo (Oliver Reed) did in Gladiator, and guess who he winds up sponsoring? With his anti-authority leanings, Macrinus really digs Lucius’s vibe and tells him, “You will be my instrument.”
Director Ridley Scott told Vanity Fair, “Macrinus is a very wealthy man. Instead of having a stable of racehorses, he has a stable of gladiators. He’s beautiful. … I got him a gold-plated chariot.”
Is Russell Crowe in Gladiator 2?
Why? Are you not entertained enough already?! Relax … I’m kidding.
Unfortunately, no, Crowe is not in the Gladiator sequel. (*Spoiler Alert*) Because his character Maximus dies at the end of Gladiator after killing Commodus, it wouldn’t make sense for him to appear in Gladiator 2 … unless it’s in archival footage, which is highly possible. There’s a chance he and Joaquin Phoenix could have filmed a secret cameo for a flashback sequence, but currently there are no reports of their involvement. At one point, there were plans to resurrect Maximus, but, according to Scott, those plans have long since been off the table.
What does Chris Hemsworth have to do with Gladiator 2?
The short answer is nothing. Rumors circulated in 2021 that Hemsworth and Crowe, who formed a friendship while filming Thor: Love and Thunder, were in talks to co-produce a Gladiator sequel, with the big idea being that Hemsworth would play Maximus’s son. Of course, this wouldn’t work because—again, spoiler alert—Maximus’s son is killed by Roman soldiers on Commodus’s orders in the first movie. Some rumors prove to be true, but this one does not. No Hemsworth here, ladies.
When did Gladiator 2 start filming, and is it still shooting?
Gladiator 2 began filming in May 2023 and officially wrapped in January 2024. Per The Ridley Scott Archives, Gladiator 2 is still in production, with reshoots occurring as recently as mid-June. Right now, there’s no reason to suspect the release date will be pushed back, so all you gladiator fans can remain hopeful. Keep your swords polished and your sandals handy; November will be here before you know it.
What did Gladiator 2 reveal at CinemaCon?
Paramount’s CinemaCon gave theater owners a first look at footage from Gladiator 2. Director Ridley Scott sent in a video from London to introduce the piece, saying, “It is possibly even more extraordinary than the first.” Lead star Paul Mescal called working on the film a “standout moment” in his life to date, and Denzel Washington was on hand saying the film will have “emotion” and “spectacle” beyond anything else in theaters this year.
What did the action-packed footage reveal? Blood-thirsty rhinos, man-eating monkeys, bloodier arena battles, court intrigue, and a very quotable, wise, fierce Roman statesman in Denzel’s character. It also featured glimpses of set pieces and battles, and a climax in the gladiatorial arena as Lucius squares up to Pedro Pascal’s character. In short, it delivered shock and awe that evoked loud cheers and thumbs up from spectators.
What can I expect from Gladiator 2?
You can expect Gladiator 2 to be much more sensational than its predecessor, according to Mark Viane, Paramount’s president of international theatrical distribution: “[It features] some of the biggest action sequences ever put on film.”
There will be more battle scenes than Gladiator gave us, including a stunning water battle in the Colosseum, and we’ll even see archers and battleships in addition to new gladiator challenges, like taking on wild animals filled with bloodlust. In fact, expect to see Lucius being rammed by one of those animals—a rhino—as he tries to evade a stampede of bloodied baboons. In other words, expect carnage. Lots and lots of carnage.
You can also expect immaculate set designs, rich, lush fabrics of nobility, remarkable special effects, immersive drama and action, spectacular cinematography and editing, extreme shock and awe, and a plethora of characters you’ll both love and hate … and love to hate.
There will be meaning in this story beyond the thrill of grown men duking it out with swords, battling wild animals, and staging combat for the amusement of the masses. Gladiator 2 won’t just be about what humans will do to survive; it’ll also be about what lengths they’ll endure to win. Expect to see the effects of power on people and what happens in a place where power is unrestrained.
There’s no doubt that Gladiator 2 will be a wonder to bear witness to.
The trailer for Gladiator 2
The first trailer for Gladiator 2 dropped July 9, 2024, and it already has gladiator fans everywhere thirsting for its arrival. The first look teases that it’s not entirely clear if Lucius has fully forgotten his life alongside his mother and murderous, conniving uncle Commodus, or if he’s just chosen to block it out … or if he’s fully aware and just protecting his nobility. One thing’s for sure, though: The stance Maximus took against Rome and its emperor had a huge impact on a young Lucius, as he is still haunted by Maximus’s legacy.
If you thought Rome was headed for destruction by the end of Gladiator, you apparently haven’t seen anything yet. Things are a billion times worse now, with Rome’s citizens starving and begging their sadistic leaders for help. So, buckle up, buttercups, because it appears we’re in for a treat—a wild, over-the-top, bloody and brutal spectacle of a treat.
Gladiator 2 will be released in US theaters on November 22, 2024, and in UK & Irish cinemas and select international markets on November 15, 2024. Read our review of the first Gladiator movie below!
