The biggest challenge facing Ridley Scott’s upcoming Gladiator 2 is the lack of the original Gladiator’s Roman hero, Maximus, and how much the movie will be able to resonate with audiences in his absence. 2000’s Gladiator is one of the most universally beloved historical epics ever made and arguably the definitive movie on ancient Rome and the gladiators of the Colosseum.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator follows the story of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) as he is betrayed by the Emperor’s son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and sold into slavery. As Commodus appoints himself Rome’s new Caesar and begins a tyrannical rule over the Roman empire, Maximus becomes one of the empire’s most popular gladiators, dubbed “The Spaniard”, and vowing revenge on Commodus when he is brought to compete in the Roman Colosseum.
With multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and a $465 million worldwide box office haul to its name, a Gladiator sequel has been discussed over the years until finally getting underway in 2023, with the long-incoming sequel headed into theatres on November 22, 2024.
There’s just one issue facing Gladiator 2, though, and that is the absence of Maximus himself after his death at the end of the first Gladiator and ascension into the afterlife to join his wife and son.
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Narratively speaking, there has never been any truly feasible way to make Gladiator 2 with Russell Crowe returning as Maximus, and not just because of his death. By the end of Gladiator, Maximus has completed all of his unfinished business after having his life ruined by Commodus – he’s avenged the murder of his wife, son, and the previous Caesar Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) by Commodus, and he’s set in motion Marcus’ dream to restore the Roman Republic. With Maximus’ journey, and essentially his life, complete, he’s ready to leave the world behind and reunite with his wife and son in the afterlife.
While the return of Maximus has been part of previous pitched versions of Gladiator 2 – including Maximus becoming a soldier for the Roman gods and fighting in multiple wars all throughout history, leading up to his re-incarnation in the modern Pentagon – the version of Gladiator 2 that will hit theatres later this year is wisely recognizing that Maximus’ character arc is complete and is leaving him out of the story.
Instead, Gladiator 2 focuses on the adult version of Lucius Verus, played by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator, with Paul Mescal assuming the role of Gladiator 2. In Gladiator, Lucius is the nephew of Commodus and son of Maximus’ ally Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), and he hero-worships Maximus for his gladiatorial victories and eventual defeat of Commodus.
While Lucius is a fairly significant supporting character in Gladiator, Gladiator 2 has the challenge of not just bringing him into the spotlight in a much more centralized way but actually making him a true successor to Maximus. With the kind of impression Maximus made in Gladiator, that is a mandate not to be taken lightly.
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Gladiator’s popularity is predicated on numerous factors, but a major one is just how compelling a protagonist Maximus is and how iconic Russell Crowe’s performance as Maximus really is – not to mention just how quotable Maximus is, as well, with such unforgettable lines as “The frost, sometimes it makes the blade stick” and “Are you not entertained?!” Maximus’ firm code of honour and extremely formidable combat skills as a Roman warrior also make him an enduring and highly revered period movie action hero.
The big test for Lucius in Gladiator 2 is to go from a likeable side character whom audiences have only ever known as a child in Gladiator to a protagonist and a gladiatorial Roman warrior on the level of Maximus. In essence, the real challenge for Gladiator 2 (aside from boasting a staggering, superhero-movie level $310 million budget) is that, in the absence of Maximus, both the movie itself and especially Lucius have to win the crowd once again.
