Few would doubt that ‘Gladiator’ was one of the greatest adventure films ever made, and its sequel, ‘Gladiator 2’, could follow suit. Considered one of the greatest films of all time, it told the story of Roman general Maximus. Directed by Ridley Scott, the action film followed the veteran warrior as he is forced to fight as a gladiator after being captured as a slave.
Original development on a sequel began in June 2001 and has been on and off ever since. A draft (with a religious angle) emerged in 2006, with Maximus (Russell Crowe) set to be resurrected by the Roman gods and sent back to Earth to stop the development of Christianity. However that script ultimately never saw the light of day, which is not surprising given that the director insisted he preferred a more grounded historical fiction approach.
The story of this sequel began in 2018. Given the scale of the first part, there is a lot of pressure on ‘Gladiator 2’ as it seeks to emulate the success of its predecessor, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves about possible awards.
The story of ‘Gladiator 2′ will take place more than 20 years after the events of the original film and will follow a now-adult Lucius as he takes on Maximus’ legacy.
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after witnessing the conquest of his home by the tyrannical emperors who rule Rome with an iron fist. With his heart overflowing with fury and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must recall his past in search of the strength and honor to restore Rome’s lost glory to the people.
Paul Mescal will be the main protagonist. The star who became famous with the television series ‘Normal People’. Mescal will thus take on the key role of an adult Lucio Vero, meaning Spencer Treat Clark will not reprise his role.
Denzel Washington has been confirmed for what will be the actor’s reunion with the director of ‘American Gangster’, perhaps his most famous film. Washington will play Macrinus, who seeks to overthrow the power of Rome with the help of Lucius.
Joseph Quinn also joins the cast after shooting to fame in the last season of ‘Stranger Things’
The latest to be confirmed, in early May 2023, was Pedro Pascal, who has also joined the cast as the leader of the Roman armies Marcus Acacius.
CREDITS:
Director: Alejandro Bernal
Text: Max Hackenbroich
