Gladiator II Set to Release: What This Film Does Will Echo Throughout Eternity
Nearly two decades after Maximus Decimus Meridius conquered the Colloseum and won the hearts and minds of audiences around the world, the roar of the crowd is set to echo once more as the release date of Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel approaches. The original “Gladiator,” released in May 2000 won immense acclaim at the box office, receiving five academy awards and seven additional nominations at the Oscars. Director Ridley Scott seeks to emulate the success of the original with a sequel set to be released in mid-November, featuring a strong cast, a $310 million budget and a more in-depth portrayal of Colosseum gladiator combat.
The original “Gladiator” portrays a Roman General named Maximus Decimus Meridius who is betrayed by Commodus, a corrupt, incestuous emperor who acquired the throne by murdering his own father. Maximus’ family is killed, and he is sold into slavery, where through determination, strength and honor, he rises through the ranks of the arena as a gladiator bent on revenge. It was the second highest grossing film of the year and won the Oscar for best picture, visual effects, sound and best actor (Russell Crowe portraying Maximus). To this day, it maintains an 8.5/10 rating on Imdb, placing it as the 35 highest rated movie of all time. “Gladiator” arguably revitalized the “Sword and Sandal” genre as movies such as “300,” “Alexander and Troy” were released in the years immediately afterwards. Clearly, Ridley Scott faces a high bar come November once his sequel is released.
“Gladiator II” is set to release on Nov. 22, 2024 in the U.S. The film will portray Lucius, the son of one of the characters from the first film as he is forced into slavery after a Roman invasion of his homeland. Lucius will take up a similar role to Maximus in the first film, becoming a gladiator under a powerful trainer named Macrinus. Paul Mescal is set to portray Lucius, with Pedro Pascal set to portray Roman General Marcus Acacius and Denzel Washington set to portray Macrinus. Hans Zimmer, who orchestrated the iconic musical score for the first film, is not set to return.
The trailer for “Gladiator II” was released in mid-July. References to the original film are made, yet new exciting elements are added, such as a Colosseum naval battle and the presence of two emperors serving together, both of which are faithful to actual Roman history. The expectations for such a film will undoubtedly be high. But will the sequel live up to the hype of the original? While Ridley Scott has directed many other critically acclaimed films such as the “Blade Runner” and “Alien,” his most recent movie, “Napoleon” was met with mixed reviews from critics, with many arguing that the film focused too much on cinematography and too little on the script. This could be a potential issue come the sequel; lead actor Paul Mescal is little known beyond the miniseries “Normal People” and will be in his first lead role for what should be a blockbuster film. Thankfully he is joined by such a strong supporting cast.
Overall, with Ridley Scott at the helm for what could be one of his final films as a director, there is hope that this sequel can encompass the themes and gravitas of the original while also introducing new, engaging elements of gladiatorial combat and Roman society. Time will tell, but hopefully, the voice of the crowd gives Scott a “thumbs up” at the box office come November.