When Ridley Scott announced his plans to make Gladiator II almost 25 years after the famous Russell Crowe-led original, the world was both excited and a little skeptical. Do sequels to beloved Y2K films ever really work? Could a second Gladiator really live up to the cult-like status of 2000 film? And who could possibly step into Crowe's gladiator sandals?
We soon got our answer to the last question. It would be Paul Mescal as a now-grown up Lucius, son of Lucilla, who fled Rome after the events of the first film and now, returns to Rome as a gladiator. Pedro Pascal was also announced to be joining the cast as Marcus Acacius, a Roman general.
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I am happy that I can now report that I have some other answers, too. Gladiator II may not be the best film ever made. It may not even be the best sequel. But it is an undeniable riot.
The plot is an acceptable if formulaic extension of the first film. Lucius returns to Rome as a gladiator, vowing to take revenge on Acacius, the general who besieged his town and killed his wife in battle. Of course, no one knows Lucius' true identity. He soon becomes a fan-favourite — he is even loved by the sickly-looking tyrant twin emperors (yes, you read that right). Eventually, Lucius is forced to reassess his understanding of good and evil and fight for the people of Rome. The end.
What really makes the film a joy is how utterly ludicrous it is from start to finish. In his first gladiator fight, Lucius battles an army of very ripped CGI monkey-things — and wins by freaking them out by chomping on the leg of one of their fallen compatriots (yes, you read that right, again). Another gladiator fight features a ship battle complete with swarming sharks inside the gladiator ring. There's also a fight featuring Mescal versus a giant rhino. Then there's the larger-than-life performances of Joe Quinn and Spencer Treat Clark as the tyrannical rulers of Rome — the latter, it is worth mentioning, is best friends with a tiny monkey, who is constantly clambering all over his head. Without spoiling anything, there is also a death-by-loss-of-limb that instantly reminded me of the “It's just a flesh wound” Monty Python skit.
Essentially, the entire thing is so bonkers and so, so fun. Whether that's what you want from Gladiator II is another question. For some reviewers, it works. The Independent noted that the film is “equal in scale and spectacle” to the original, with the welcome addition of “the kind of wry, absurdist slant that’s come to dominate Scott’s work of the last decade and a half.” Meanwhile, Variety wrote that “the movie is a solid piece of neoclassical popcorn.” The Hollywood Reporter conceded that the film has “plenty of the eye-popping spectacle and operatic violence audiences will want.”
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However, others were less convinced. The Times wrote it was a “dreary, Marvel-esque sequel” in which Mescal “disappoints,” while Little White Lies said, “this sequel lacks both the impact of its inspiration and the fresh ideas necessary to stand on its own two feet.”
Of course, you'll have to get to the cinema and decide for yourself if you are entertained. In the meantime, here's everything we know about Gladiator 2 so far.
Gladiator 2 plot
Paul Mescal plays Lucius, son of Lucilla and the nephew of Gladiator antagonist Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix. For the uninitiated, Gladiator star Russell Crowe played Maximus, who saves Lucilla and Lucius' lives in the original film.
While he was brought up out of reach of the Roman Empire, after his peaceful home city is invaded Lucius decides to return to Rome, where he decides to become a gladiator. He finds that his mother Lucilla is in love with General Marcus Acacius (played by Pedro Pascal), an enemy he ends up fighting. Sounds like things get rather complicated within this family. Lucius must also contend with twin emperors Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Emperor Caracalla.
We also know that Paul got the nickname “Brick Wall Paul” after bulking up so much for the role. “He got so strong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again,” Pedro Pascal said in an interview with Vanity Fair. “To go up against somebody that fit and that talented and that much younger… It’s brutal, man.”
Joseph Quinn also spoke to GQ about the sheer scale of Gladiator 2's production, including the amount of cameras rolling for a single scene. “I was like, ‘Eight cameras?’ and he’s like, ‘You gotta know where to f**king put ’em,’ ” he said. “Clearly, he does."
“The set of Gladiator II is a wonder to bear witness to,” he added. “You know that Rutger Hauer speech at the end of Blade Runner? ‘I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe’ — that’s what it felt like, just seeing it all.”
Gladiator 2 cast
Joining Paul Mescal will be Pedro Pascal, Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington, Derek Jacobi, Fred Hechinger, May Calamawy, Tim McInnerny, Alexander Karim and Rory McCann.
Most interestingly, Connie Nielsen will reprise her Gladiator role as Lucilla.
Gladiator 2 release date
It will be released in UK cinemas on 15 November.
Gladiator 2 trailer
You can watch the new Gladiator 2 trailer below:
And in case you're craving more Gladiator 2 content ahead of its release (we don't blame you), here's the earlier promotional trailer for the new film:
