Will Russell Crowe Return for 'Gladiator 2'?
Russell Crowe in the original 'Gladiator'
Rumors about a sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 historical epic Gladiator have been swirling for more than 20 years at this point, and many fans have understandably given up hope of ever seeing them come to fruition. But Gladiator 2 is indeed coming to movie theaters this fall, and will feature a whole new cast led by Paul Mescal and Pedro Pescal. Here’s everything we know so far about the much anticipated sequel, including release date and additional cast information.
Is there really going to be a Gladiator 2?
After years in various stages of development hell, Gladiator 2 finally went into production in June of 2023. Not long afterward, filming was paused for six months between July and December due to the Screen Actors Guild strike. The movie wrapped in January of 2024.
Who will play Maximus in Gladiator 2?
Russell Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius, the protagonist of the original Gladiator, is not expected to feature in Gladiator 2. The sequel takes place some 15 years after the original movie, and will feature a largely new cast with only a couple of key characters confirmed to return—most crucially, Lucius Verus (Mescal), who was played by 13-year-old Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator.
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Is Maximus alive in Gladiator 2?
Since Maximus had one of cinema’s most memorable death scenes, bringing him back from the grave would be a pretty big reversal. Wild though it seems, resurrecting Maximus was the original plan, as Scott explained in an interview on the ReelBlend podcast. “I knew how to bring him back through a portal, back to the real world,” he revealed of this early draft of the script, which was written by Nick Cave. “I said, "We can bring him back this way." And what I want to do is start the film in Styx, on the edge of the ocean, and you see him, this warrior, wandering in armor. Then, it’s Maximus wandering, looking for where he's going to go next. That's Scene One.”
However, the plot of Gladiator 2 has evolved a lot over the 20-plus years it’s been in development, and the resurrection idea now seems to be off the table. This version, which was written by David Scarpa, appears to be a more grounded historical epic than Cave’s take would have been.
Interestingly, Maximus’s fate in the first Gladiator evolved in a similar way—the original plan was for Maximus to survive his final battle with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Crowe revealed in a 2020 interview with Empire magazine that Scott approached him midway through filming to propose the more tragic ending.
“I remember Ridley coming up to me on set saying, ‘Look, the way this is shaping up, I don’t see how you live. This character is about one act of pure vengeance for his wife and child, and, once he’s accomplished that, what does he do?"" Crowe said. “And my joke used to be, ‘Yeah, what does Maximus do? Does he end up running a fucking pizzeria by the Colosseum?’ He has a singular purpose, which is to meet his wife in the afterlife and apologize for not being there for her. And that’s it.”
What is Gladiator 2 about?
Gladiator 2 focuses on an adult Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), Commodus's nephew, who idolized Maximus as a young boy and longed to emulate him. Now, 15 years later, Lucius is carving out his own reputation as a warrior.
“He’s been in the wilderness for about 15 years, having lost touch with his mother,” Scott revealed to Rotten Tomatoes, referring to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who will reprise her role in Gladiator 2). “His mother doesn’t know where he is, she thinks he might be dead.”
Other than that, plot details are being kept secret. “I can’t get into that!” Mescal told Esquire when the publication asked him to elaborate on the movie’s storyline. “I can’t tell you how stressed I am talking about that film in particular, because it’s definitely the biggest one I’ve done. I feel really excited, but it’s difficult to get away from the legacy of the film a bit… I think it’s really well written and it pays homage to the first one, but it’s very much something that I think I can step into and make comfortably my own.”
What is the release date for Gladiator 2?
Gladiator 2 will be released in theaters on Nov. 22nd, 2024.
Who is cast in Gladiator 2?
Mescal isn’t the only big name in the sequel’s cast. Denzel Washington and Pedro Pescal have both been cast in mysterious and as-yet-unnamed roles. Connie Nielsen is the only actor returning from Gladiator—she’ll once again play Lucilla, Lucius’s mother.
The Gladiator 2 cast also includes Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn, The White Lotus star Fred Hechinger (replacing Barry Keoghan), Matt Lucas, May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Tim McInnerny and Derek Jacobi.
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What part does Denzel Washington play in Gladiator 2?
Washington’s role has been kept mostly under wraps, but Scott revealed a few details in a recent interview with Total Film magazine. He plays a former slave who has become a wealthy arms dealer, but still carries a grudge against the Roman empire. “There were businesses of gladiators who could indeed earn their freedom if they stayed alive,” Scott said. “That was the deal. So we went right into that, in-depth. Where did he come from? How was he taken? He was branded with marks and registered with a brand on his chest as a slave. So that’s how he comes into the story. He’s a rich guy who’s still carrying a grudge."
Will Russell Crowe appear in Gladiator 2?
According to Scott, Crowe was very invested in the idea of reprising the role of Maximus at one point. “Russell didn’t want to let it go, obviously, because it worked very well,” he told UGO (via Rotten Tomatoes). “I think he enjoyed doing it, and I think it was one of those things that he thought, "Well, maybe there's a sequel where we can adjust the fantasy and bring him back from the dead."
And although the concept of resurrecting Maximus has been scrapped, there’s still a possibility that Crowe will make an appearance in Gladiator 2—either a small cameo, or a more substantial appearance in a flashback or a dream sequence.
Who is directing Gladiator 2?
Ridley Scott is returning as director on Gladiator 2. Scott has a long track record of involvement with sequels to his blockbuster classics. He directed Alien prequel Prometheus in 2012, and served as a producer on Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049.
Is there a trailer for Gladiator 2?
The first trailer for Gladiator 2 hasn’t yet been released, but watch this space.
