Pedro Pascal’s Gladiator 2 Gets Exctiting Update
After over two decades of waiting, fans of the 2000 historic action film Gladiator may finally get the sequel they’ve been longing for. Director Ridley Scott has revealed that filming for the most awaited follow-up, titled Gladiator 2, has officially wrapped. Filming for the sequel was temporarily halted last year due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, forcing the production to pause during a major scene featuring hundreds of extras in the iconic Roman Colosseum set. When filming resumed late last year, Scott estimated that about half of the movie had already been shot before the work stoppage.
Who’s Returning for the Gladiator Sequel?
While Russell Crowe memorably starred in the original film as the vengeance-seeking gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius, he will not be returning for the sequel. The only cast member confirmed to be reprising their role is Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, the sister of Joaquin Phoenix’s villainous Commodus from the first film.
Instead, Gladiator 2 will focus on Lucius, the son of Lucilla who was played by Spencer Treat Clark in a minor role in the 2000 film. Irish actor Paul Mescal will take over the grown-up role of Lucius, who revered Maximus and was inspired by his heroics in the Colosseum.
“I’ve now finished almost 85 percent of Gladiator 2,” Scott told IndieWire. “We were interrupted by the strike, so I lost four months. Otherwise, right now I’d be mixing it.”
According to Scott, focusing the sequel around Lucius provides an opportunity to explore a character who was largely forgotten in the original. “Lucius was the survivor of the first one, which people forgot, fortunately,” the director noted. “We utilize that as a device to say what happened and where did we go next?”
Can the Sequel Live Up to the Original’s Legacy?
The first Gladiator was not only a major box office smash, grossing over $450 million globally, but it also revitalized the sword-and-sandal genre and won universal acclaim from critics. The film earned Russell Crowe the Academy Award for Best Actor and scored a Best Picture nomination.
Given the towering achievement of the original, the bar for the sequel is astronomically high. The cast includes Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, May Calamawy, and Denzel Washington alongside Nielsen and Mescal. But notably absent is Crowe, whose towering performance helped cement Gladiator’s legacy as an all-time classic.
What Story Is Gladiator 2 Going to Tell?
Plot details are still mostly under wraps. But it’s been reported that Gladiator 2 will feature time travel elements, with Lucius somehow interacting with and learning from the deceased Maximus. This would theoretically allow the sequel to keep Russell Crowe involved in some capacity, though his level of screen time is unknown.
Scott has kept story points closely guarded, though he has indicated the sequel will pick up years after the original left off and follow Lucius in the aftermath of Maximus’ sacrifice. Fans who have waited over 20 years to see the heroic gladiator’s story continue will surely have high hopes for Gladiator 2.
But can a sequel without Crowe in a lead role ever truly deliver everything viewers loved about Gladiator? Only time will tell when Gladiator 2 hits theaters on November 22nd, 2024. After so many years of speculation and false starts, the wait is nearly over to see if this follow-up can honor the Oscar-winning original or if it will fall short of fan expectations.
