Source: Elisabetta A. Villa / Getty
It’s been 23 years since Russell Crowe took the world by storm playing General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott’s historical action/drama film, Gladiator. Although it seemed like a one-shot affair, the classic film is apparently getting a sequel. (Now?!?)
Deadline is reporting that Paramount has tapped Ridley Scott to return to the Colosseum that saw General Maximus become a legend and continue the story that began two decades ago. Unfortunately, it will not involve Crowe’s classic character (he died at the end of the film). Instead, the movie will star a lesser known character from the original, Lucius who will be played by Paul Mescal. In Gladiator, Lucius was in line to take the throne vacated by his blood thirsty and apparently incest-obsessed uncle, Commodus.
As Justin Kroll first reported, Mescal isn’t replacing Russell Crowe’s Maximus from the first film, who died. He’s playing Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who now is a grown man as the story takes place years after the first film ended. Lucius also was the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius, who murdered his father seized the throne. Commodus wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus — who, though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great beyond to reunite with his slain wife and son. Maximus saved the boy and his mother while avenging his own family, and left a strong impression on the young Lucius.
Nobody in the theater gave a damn about that kid, Lucius. He could’ve been fed to the tigers for all we cared. But hey, that’s just us.
Whether or not fans of Gladiator will still have interest in a sequel and circle back to the franchise minus Russell Crowe remains to be seen (we’re kinda cool on Gladiator 2 for now). But we’ll wait until we get an official trailer to the film before we decide on whether or not to catch the film when it drops on Nov. 22, 2024.
Are you looking forward to Gladiator 2? Is it two decades too late? Let us know in the comments section below.
