Gladiator II

Summary

New persona and contingent of Paul Mescal ’s fictitious character inGladiator 2 , Lucius Verus , have been released , and they give a tinge at the approaching epic ’s game . Gladiator 2is the long - await sequel to Ridley Scott ’s historical epicGladiator . The original movie starred Russel Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius , a former Roman Catholic general who was draw to struggle to the death in the Colosseum . For months , there were very fewconfirmed particular aboutGladiator 2 , but a new reveal has given huge insights into the coming subsequence and themain cast ofGladiator 2 .

Gladiator 2is place to centre on Lucius Verus II , played by Paul Mescal . Lucius appeared in the originalGladiator , but sinceGladiator 2takes position year later , Mescal plays a grown up version of the same grapheme . Since he appear in the original , though , there ’s quite a bit known about Lucius . That , in combination with the raw images and details , paint a fairly in - depth look atGladiator 2 ’s leading office , and the effect he ’ll have on both the Colosseum and Ancient Rome .

New image and plot details pertaining to Gladiator 2 corroborate even more about the story , such as Lucius ' kinetics with Lucilla , Acacius , and Macrinus .

Gladiator II Official Poster

Lucius' Role In The First Gladiator Movie

In the originalGladiator , Lucius was the co - emperor of Rome alongside the film ’s primary antagonist , Commodus . Though he held a position of immense power , Lucius was still just a child , which effectively made Commodus the sole emperor of Rome . His untested old age actually prevented Lucius from taking a very active role inGladiatorat all . Lucius ' biggest effect on the movie ’s plot was in how he influenced other people . Commodus threatened to bolt down Lucius to squeeze Lucilla , his mother , into producing an heir . Maximus also refrained from kill Commodus the first probability he catch , because Lucius was present , and he did n’t want to traumatise the untested boy .

Why Was Lucius Recast For Gladiator 2?

While Mescal was a great pick to play Lucius inGladiator 2 , it also occur as a snatch of a surprisal . Spencer Treat Clark , the actor who in the beginning played Lucius as a child , seemed like a natural choice for the sequel . Gladiator 2takes office about 20 years afterGladiator , and while Clark is older than Mescal , he still look young enough to take on the persona . Clark has even reprize one of his childhood roles as an adult before , as he played Joseph Dunn in both 2000’sUnbreakableand in 2019’sGlass .

Clark may have been the obvious choice for continuity ’s sake , but director Ridley Scott had a unlike goal in mind when he swan Mescal inGladiator 2 . accord toTotal Film , Scott prefer Mescal to play Lucius after he watchedNormal mass . Mescal starred as Connell in the miniseries , and thoughNormal Peopleis very different fromGladiator 2 , Scott said he find out something in the young actor . When asked about the decision , Scott sound out , " Can I see Paul Mescal being as big as Russell Crowe ? For indisputable . "

Gladiator 2 managing director Ridley Scott bring out how he discovered the under - the - radio detection and ranging doer Paul Mescal , who will head the epic movie as Lucius Verus .

Spencer Treat Clark as Lucius Verus in Gladiator next to Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus holding a sword in Gladiator 2

Custom image by Sean Morrison

Along with Scott ’s vision for Mescal , the actor also brings quite a bit to the use that sure as shooting helped secure him a spot inGladiator 2 . While talk withVanity Fair , Mescal said that he had check extensively " to be big and strong and look like somebody who can do a routine of damage . " Mescal intelligibly worked quite hard to search the part of a prizefighter , but he also said " My nose is just kind of Roman . " When asked about Scott ’s decisiveness to cast him , Mescal said it all befall very quickly after a short conversation , without even a camera test .

What Happened To Lucius After Gladiator

The Vanity Fair article also moderate a few hints at what the plot ofGladiator 2will be , specifically in esteem to Lucius ' use . After Maximus ' death atthe end ofGladiator , Lucius ' mother , Lucilla , sent him away from the Roman Empire to the northern coast of Africa , in a region phone Numidia . His metre in Numidia hardened Lucius , and he became a skilled warrior . It ’s likely that Lucilla sent Lucius aside to protect him from the ability vacuum cleaner left by Commodus ' demise , and the politicians vying for control of Rome . Still , that decision caused a rift between Lucilla and her Word .

Lucius' Story In Gladiator 2

prizefighter 2will break up up yr after the original , once Lucius has become an adult and base a family in Numidia . Troops from the Roman Empire , led byPedro Pascal ’s Marcus Acacius , then number to Numidia ’s shore to conquer it . finally , Lucius is read prisoner by Acacius ' flock and brought back to Rome as a captive , where he ’ll be forced to campaign as a prizefighter . In his first round in the field , however , Lucius sees his mother in the royal box , next to her amorous partner , Acacius . That leads Lucius to fight back Acacius again , and leads him down a bloody way to fight back all of Rome .

The icky state of Rome then angers Lucius even further , but only the release of Gladiator 2 will be able-bodied to show what happens next .

Scott revealed that after the event ofGladiator , when Maximus urged them to justify the Empire of putrescence and return to the Republic , Rome did not listen . rather , the Empire devolved even further , and is worse inGladiator 2than it ever was in the yesteryear . The two emperor at the time - Carcalla and Geta - ruled with a sadistic atomic number 26 clenched fist . They reportedly threaten Lucilla ’s life to control Acacius , and discount the well - being of Rome while they ’re at it . The rotten commonwealth of Rome then anger Lucius even further , but only the firing ofGladiator 2will be able to show what happens next .

Paul Mescal feels sand in his hands in Gladiator 2

Custom image by Sean Morrison

Is Lucius The Son Of Russell Crowe’s Maximus?

In the originalGladiator , the true parentage of Lucius was n’t made totally sure . He was said to be the baby of Lucilla and Lucius Verus I , the former Emperor of Rome . However , Maximus and Lucilla had a romanticistic past times , and Lucius seemed to look at Maximus as a case of founder form in Lucius I ’s absence . ThroughoutGladiator , Lucius idolized Maximus and wanted him to win every battle , and his store will probably have an effect on the youthful Isle of Man inGladiator 2.Though there were several implications , the originalGladiatornever in a flash confirm whether Lucius was Maximus ' son .

Ridley Scott ’s Gladiator is based in the account of ancient Rome , but while the movie is accurate in some areas , it take poetic permission in others .

It does , however , seem very likely thatGladiator 2will reveal that Lucius was , in fact , Maximus ' boy . Scott told UGO ( viaRotten Tomatoes ) in 2006 that he imaginedGladiator 2would reveal that Lucius was the merchandise of Maximus ' affair with Lucilla . Gladiator 2has infamously decease through several rewrites since 2006 , but it ’s totally possible that the thought of having Lucius as Maximus ' Word has survived . It would be thematically touching and make a direct link between the two movies , which will be especially significant after more than 20 twelvemonth .

Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark) in Gladiator looking worried

Who The Real-Life Lucius Was & What Happened To Him

While he has a legendary role in the world ofGladiator 2,the substantial - animation reading of Lucius Verus IIdidn’t have about as much clock time to cement his name in history books . In literal life , Lucius Verus I and Lucilla had three children , and they all died at very young ages , Lucius II included . Lucius II actually died before Commodus ever became Emperor , as the originalGladiatortook quite a few originative liberties with the timeline and historic facts of Ancient Rome . Since he died at such a young geezerhood , very little is known about the literal Lucius Verus II .

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Cast

Gladiator follows Maximus , a Roman general bewray by the new emperor Commodus . After escaping execution , he is enslave and becomes a gladiator . Set in ancient Rome , the story portrays his battle for survival and pursuance for vengeance as he battles for his exemption in the arena .

The bare fact that Lucius is still awake well into his twenty inGladiator 2makes the flick historically inaccurate , but that ’s hardly new for theatre director Ridley Scott . Maximus Decimus Meridius was n’t a real person inGladiator , but rather an amalgamation of several historical figures . To Scott , the intricate detail of history are n’t as important as the news report and lessons that can be gleaned from diachronic moments . Scott did n’t let historical truth get in the way of makingGladiatora good movie , and he intelligibly wo n’t let it get in the way ofGladiator 2or Paul Mescal ’s Lucius Verus II .

Source : Vanity Fair , Total Film , Rotten Tomatoes

Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus in Gladiator 2 and Spencer Treat Clark as Lucius Verus in Gladiator

Custom image by Sean Morrison

Gladiator 2 is the follow - up to Ridley Scott ’s award - winning film Gladiator from 2000 . Walter Scott returns to point the sequel , with Paul Mescal stare as Lucius , alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta . Gladiator 2 had been stick in development hell on earth for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally go forwards .

Custom image of Paul Mescal and Maximus and Commodus in Gladiator

Paul Mescal in Gladiator 2

Russell Crowe hated gladiators best line

Custom image of a young Lucius and Maximus looking up in Gladiator

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Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.

Headshot Of Russell Crowe

Headshot of Joaquin Phoenix

Headshot Of Paul Mescal In The 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)

Headshot Of Pedro Pascal In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards