In 2000, director Ridley Scott introduced Maximus Decimus Meridius to the world in Gladiator. The historical epic starred Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general sold into slavery after being betrayed by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the Emperor’s power-hungry son. Maximus becomes a gladiator and vows to exact his revenge on Commodus for killing his family. Gladiator was the second-highest-grossing film of 2000 and won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.
Twenty-four years later, Scott returns to the arena of blood and sand with his long-awaited sequel, Gladiator 2. The film will follow an adult Lucius Verus, son of Lucilla and nephew of Commodus. Gladiator 2 is one of the most anticipated films on the 2024 calendar. Below, we explore everything you need to know about Gladiator 2, including the release date, cast, synopsis, and trailer.
When is Gladiator 2’s release date?
Gladiator 2 is now scheduled to be released theatrically on November 22, 2024. Gladiator 2 will be released one week earlier, on November 15, 2024, in select international markets.
Paramount Pictures will distribute the film in the U.S., while Universal Pictures will handle international distribution.
Is there a trailer for Gladiator 2?
The second trailer for Gladiator II was released on September 23, 2024. This time around, vengeance is the theme most emphasized as Paul Mescal’s gladiator looks to avenge his wife’s death and take down evil emperors and fight bad CGI animals. Hmm, that sounds a bit familiar, doesn’t it?
The long-awaited first trailer for Gladiator II teases several jaw-dropping fight sequences, including a battle with sharks inside the arena and a one-on-one sword fight between Mescal and Pascal.
Who is in the Gladiator 2 cast?
Paul Mescal headlines Gladiator 2 as Lucius Verus, a character originated by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator. Variety described the character as a “nobleman who renounced his privilege.” Lucius is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and former heir to the Empire. After being sent to live in Numbia, Lucius is captured by the Roman army and forced to become a gladiator.
Mescal is best known for his Emmy-nominated role of Connell Waldron in Normal People and his Oscar-nominated role of Calum Paterson in Aftersun. Predominantly known for starring in independent features, Gladiator 2 is the biggest film of Mescal’s young career.
Scott mentioned how Mescal’s breakout role in Normal People convinced him to cast the Irish actor in his Gladiator sequel.
“Can I see Paul Mescal being as big as Russell Crowe? For sure,” Scott told Total Film in October 2023. “I watched Normal People. It’s not my kind of show, but I saw four episodes in a row – boom, boom, boom. I was thinking, ‘Who the hell is this Paul Mescal?’ And then I watched the whole series. And then, suddenly, Gladiator 2 came up because the script was working pretty well. And I kept thinking about Paul. And that was it.”
Exclusive: Ridley Scott tells Total Film that he couldn’t stop thinking about Paul Mescal after watching Normal People, so he cast him in Gladiator 2 https://t.co/zFWLl0OTnV
— Total Film (@totalfilm) October 6, 2023
Denzel Washington will star alongside Mescal as Macrinus, a former gladiator who earned his freedom and became a wealthy arms and commodities dealer. However, Washington’s character still holds a grudge against the emperors. Additional cast members include Joseph Quinn as Emperor Caracalla, Fred Hechinger as Emperor Geta, and Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius. May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Peter Mensah, and Matt Lucas also star. Hechinger’s role originally belonged to Barry Keoghan, but the Saltburn actor dropped out because of scheduling issues.
Two actors reprising their roles from Gladiator in the sequel are Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Lucius’s mother, and Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus, an ally of Lucilla and Maximus. Djimon Hounsou was set to return for the sequel, as Juba but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
Who does Denzel Washington play in Gladiator 2?
Although Mescal is the movie’s lead, there has been a huge amount of interest about who Washington might be playing in the film, in large part because of his incredible career in Hollywood. Washington plays a power broker named Macrinus. Scott described Washinton’s character in an interview with Vanity Fair.
“Denzel is an arms dealer who supplies food for the armies in Europe, supplies wine and oil, makes steel, makes spears, weapons, cannons, and catapults,” Scott said. “So he is a very wealthy man. Instead of having a stable of racehorses, he has a stable of gladiators,” Scott says. “He’s beautiful. He drives a golden Ferrari. I got him a gold-plated chariot.”
What is Gladiator 2 about?
Gladiator 2 will follow an older Lucius about 15 years after Gladiator. Paramount’s official synopsis reads: “Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Scott explained to Rotten Tomatoes what Lucius has been up to since Gladiator.
“[Lucius] has been out in the wilderness for … let’s see, we last saw him when he was 12,” Scott said. “It’s about 12, 15 years later, he’s been out in the wilderness, having lost touch with his mother. His mother lost touch with him. She doesn’t know where he is. She thinks he might be dead.”
Paul Mescal was reticent to offer any additional details but added that he was excited about the project.
“I can’t tell you how stressed I am talking about that film in particular because it’s definitely the biggest one I’ve done,” he explained. “I feel really excited, but it’s difficult to get away from the legacy of the film a bit… I think it’s really well written and it pays homage to the first one, but it’s very much something that I think I can step into and make comfortably my own.”
Ridley Scott says ‘GLADIATOR 2’ will feature Paul Mescal’s character fighting a pack of baboons after he became haunted by a video showing a real baboon attack in South Africa:
“Can you hang from that roof for two hours by your left leg? No! A baboon can.”… pic.twitter.com/oeRKNNafQL
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) November 8, 2023
In a profile with The New Yorker, Scott revealed that Gladiator 2 will feature a scene where Mescal’s character fights a group of vicious baboons.
The profile reads: “In the meantime, he’d [Scott] been polishing the 90 minutes he had, including a scene in which the hero fights a pack of baboons; he’d been haunted, he said, by a video of baboons attacking tourists in Johannesburg: ‘Baboons are carnivores. Can you hang from that roof for two hours by your left leg? No! A baboon can.’”
Who is writing and directing Gladiator 2?
Gladiator 2 is directed by Scott from a screenplay by David Scarpa. Scott and Scarpa previously teamed on 2017’s All the Money in the World and 2023’s Napoleon. Scott will produce Gladiator 2 alongside Michael Pruss, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, and David Franzoni. Scott received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for Gladiator.
Are Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix involved in Gladiator 2?
Crowe and Phoenix are not expected to reprise their roles of Maximus and Commodus for the sequel because both men die at the end of Gladiator. Maximus kills Commodus in a duel at the Coliseum. However, Maximus succumbs to his wounds shortly after. Maximus and Commodus could appear in archival footage. Crowe or Phoenix could have filmed a secret cameo for a flashback sequence, but there have been no reports of their involvement.
At one point, there were plans to resurrect Maximus for a potential sequel, but those plans now seem to be off the table. The original version of Gladiator 2 would have seen Maximus coming back from the River Styx, but the script has evolved since then, and is apparently now much more grounded.
“I said, ‘We can bring him back this way,’” Scott explained on the ReelBlend podcast. “‘And what I want to do is start the film in Styx, on the edge of the ocean, and you see him, this warrior, wandering in armor. Then, it’s Maximus wandering, looking for where he’s going to go next. That’s Scene One.’”
Scott still respects Crowe as an actor. However, Scott doesn’t believe Crowe needed to be consulted if the Gladiator II plot did not concern Maximus.
Gladiator II character posters highlight the main ensemble
In addition to the trailer, Paramount released posters for six characters: Lucius, Marcus Acacius, Macrinus, Emperor Caracalla, Emperor Geta, and Lucilla.
Paul Mescal’s Lucius is the son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus
The new 'Gladiator II' trailer has a major reveal: Lucius (Paul Mescal) is, in fact, the son of Maximus (played by Russell Crowe in the first film). Mescal shares his reaction with EW: 'Holy s—' https://t.co/U59YXxglNd
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) September 23, 2024
Scott did not waste any time revealing one of Gladiator II’s biggest secrets. For all of his life, Lucius believed his father was Lucius Verus I. In Gladiator II’s second trailer, Lucilla revealed that Maximus, Crowe’s legendary gladiator from the first film, was his true father.
“Lucius, take your father’s strength. His name was Maximus, and I see him in you,” Lucilla tells her son in the trailer.
Mescal told EW that Scott spoke about Lucius’ parentage in their initial talk for the role. “He [Scott] mentioned it in the talk, but then it’s an affronting thing to see it written on the page, and [to have] that responsibility fall on your shoulders is interesting,” Mescal said.
Early Gladiator 2 footage has ‘blown execs away’
Gladiator 2 first reactions: ‘Blown away’ by Ridley Scott sequel starring Paul Mescalhttps://t.co/hG4jsKTLpw #gladiator2 #paulmescal pic.twitter.com/g9Je0mFZEc
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) February 22, 2024
Gladiator 2 wrapped production earlier this year. While no images or trailers have surfaced online, Paramount executives have seen some early footage. In February 2024, Deadline reported that Scott had signed on to direct a Bee Gees movie for Paramount. The report included a small but promising update about Gladiator 2.
Justin Kroll of Deadline wrote, “Scott recently wrapped production on the sequel to his smash hit Gladiator and, according to sources, early footage has blown execs away.”
Gladiator 2’s budget reportedly exceeds $300 million
Rambling Roundup: Ridley Scott’s Very Expensive Roman Holiday https://t.co/NLIHc0AZDO
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 23, 2024
Due to the size and scale of the project, Gladiator 2 was always going to be expensive. However, The Hollywood Reporter revealed Scott’s sequel went “wildly over budget.” Initially priced at $165 million, the report states Gladiator 2’s budget “ballooned to something closer to $310 million.” However, Paramount insiders “insist” that the net cost of the shoot was under $250 million. Reasons behind the high budget include claims of animal abuse, delays caused by the Hollywood strikes, and on-set accidents.
Can you stream Gladiator 2?
Gladiator 2 will be released theatrically in November 2024. It will not be a day-and-date release on a streaming service. When Gladiator 2 does hit streaming, it will wind up on Paramount+.
Ridley Scott has begun work on Gladiator 3
Paramount will likely want to evaluate the critical reception and financial performance of Gladiator 2 before green-lighting Gladiator 3. However, that hasn’t stopped Scott from working on a third film. Scott told France’s Premiere magazine about his plans for Gladiator 3.
“I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse,” Scott said. “The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
Gladiator 3’s idea has been conceived. Scott has even gone so far as to write some of the screenplay.
“I’ve already got eight pages,” Scott said about Gladiator 3’s development via Total Film. “I’ve got the beginning of a very good footprint.”
Scott added: “If there’s a Gladiator 3, I don’t think you’d ever go back into the arena. But I had to go back into the arena…”
Gladiator 2 at CinemaCon 2024
CinemaCon is an annual convention where the year’s big movies are shown to exhibitors. This year, Gladiator 2 is expected to have a presence, and the promo signs below show that the movie will be one of the highlights of this convention.
#Gladiator2 sets up at Caesars Palace ahead of #CinemaCon2024. https://t.co/ACpJB0JMZy pic.twitter.com/lAfzgpfXps
— Variety (@Variety) April 8, 2024
"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
11.22.24#Gladiator2 #CinemaCon2024 #CinemaCon #Vegas #Caesars pic.twitter.com/aW26QAu53m— Malco Theatres (@malcotheatres) April 9, 2024
On April 11, Paramount showed the first footage of Gladiator 2 to audience members at CinemaCon. Mescal’s character is a nobleman who renounces his privilege and fights as a gladiator. The action-packed trailer features Mescal fighting a rhino and a horde of baboons. Mescal also squares off with Pascal’s character. Lurking in the shadows through the video is Washington’s character, who looks to use Mescal’s warrior as a catalyst for the fall of the Roman Empire.
The first footage from #Gladiator2 is shown by Paramount at #CinemaCon:
"I remember that day. I never forgot it. That a slave could take revenge against an emperor," says Paul Mescal's character. A boat battle is seen taking place in the Colosseum. Paul Mescal and other… pic.twitter.com/XXc4UGjjBb
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 11, 2024
Early word on Gladiator 2 after test screening is good
Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR II test-screened in Vegas. The cut shown was 2 hours 40 minutes and was described as "thrilling" and "Oscar-worthy". Connie Nielsen, Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington are said to be the standouts. https://t.co/147WHvWiv2 pic.twitter.com/Kjvdscm0iu
— Reel Updates (@worldofreel) April 25, 2024
According to World of Reel’s Jordan Ruimy, Gladiator 2 screened in Las Vegas on April 24. Early word on the 2-hour-and-40-minute cut was “good,” with Washington and Nielson cited as the two breakout performances. Ruimy’s report also states that Pascal plays Mescal’s stepfather. When Pascal’s character is sent to battle, the wife and mother of Mescal’s character are murdered.
“The new characters are strong. Mescal’s performance is said to be subdued, but effective,” Ruimy wrote. “The standouts seems to be Connie Nielsen who does a ‘great job,’ very emotional and beautiful work on her part, and, according to an attendee, she could potentially get Oscar-nominated for her work here. Washington, as the shadowy operator, manipulating everything, is deviously brilliant. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) are said to be entertaining standouts as well — chewing up the scenery in their spoiled-rich kid roles.”
Ruimy’s source relayed that the film looks “nearly done” with only a few edits left. The gladiator scenes were “very entertaining,” similar to the terrific fight sequences in Gladiator.
New images from reshoots
Roman legionary extras at Devil's Dyke, Brighton in Sussex for the Gladiator II reshoots this weekend:#Gladiator2 #PaulMescal pic.twitter.com/KpuH8vekE3
— The Ridley Scott Archives (@RidleyScottArch) June 11, 2024
Gladiator 2 is still filming! That’s right, the production resumed activity to fit in several weeks of reshoots, so, of course, several photographers captured the on-location activity.
In the images above, the scene appears to be a massive battle involving Roman soldiers. The last image of the man riding away on a horse appears to be Denzel Washington’s character, although nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Paul Mescal on the set of Ridley Scott’s ‘GLADIATOR 2’ pic.twitter.com/g854iddq3S
— best of paul mescal (@bestofmescal) June 11, 2024
The other images showcase Mescal’s Lucius Verus character in full Roman costume, complete with dirt and blood from a head wound. This is the first time we’ve seen a good image of Mescal in full costume, and to be honest, it closely resembles the look and feel of Russell Crowe in the original Gladiator. This is a good thing and makes the sequel even more of a hotly anticipated movie later in 2024.
Gladiator II footage stuns crowd at CineEurope
Paul Mescal's 'Gladiator 2' Rocks CineEurope With Epic New Footage as Paramount Execs Tease the 'Biggest Action Sequences Ever Put on Film' https://t.co/uhQID2VnhH
— Variety (@Variety) June 19, 2024
At CineEurope, Paramount executives showcased never-before-seen footage from Gladiator II, including a yet-to-be-released trailer. Per Variety, Scott told the crowd that the sequel would be “well worth the wait.” Additionally, Mark Viane, Paramount’s president of international theatrical distribution, told the audience that Gladiator II features some of the “biggest action sequences ever put on film.”
First look at Gladiator II previews a battle between Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal
Prepare to be entertained. Your first look at ‘Gladiator II,’ starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and more, has arrived.
🔗: https://t.co/DIGAL9DVRf pic.twitter.com/KKz7IxCD34
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 1, 2024
On July 1, Vanity Fair released the first look at Gladiator II, with images featuring Mescal, Pascal, Washington, Hechinger, and Quinn. One photo features Mescal and Pascal squaring off in the gladiatorial arena. Scott recently spoke about what will happen to Mescal’s Lucius when he returns to Rome and sees his mother.
“When he [Lucius] gets to Rome as a prisoner and has a first round in the arena, he sees his mother [Lucilla] — to his shock,” Scott told Vanity Fair. “He doesn’t know whether she’s alive or not. How would he know? You don’t have telephones. There’s no press. And there’s his mother in the royal box looking pretty good after 20 years. And she’s with the general who he came face-to-face with on the wall in Numidia.”
First Look: Paul Mescal is Lucius in 'Gladiator II.'
See more images from Ridley Scott's upcoming film: https://t.co/WWYVKnybYX pic.twitter.com/Y1WFNN0rWJ
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 1, 2024
Gladiator II features the biggest action scene Ridley Scott has ever directed
EXCLUSIVE ⚔️#GladiatorII starts with "probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done," Ridley Scott tells Empire.
"Probably bigger than anything in Napoleon," he says.
READ MORE: https://t.co/qIJuFrePNM pic.twitter.com/Ifw5QK9arP
— Empire (@empiremagazine) July 29, 2024
Scott knew he had to go bigger in Gladiator II if the film had any shot of improving on the original. How big? In an interview with Empire, Scott explained how the opening action sequence is the “biggest thing” he’s ever done in his career. Remember that Scott has directed iconic films like Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner, and Black Hawk Down. However, Scott believes no scene in those iconic films has come close to the scope of Gladiator II‘s opening.
“We begin the film with probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done,” Scott said. “Probably bigger than anything in Napoleon.”
Denzel Washington reveals why he joined Gladiator II
EXCLUSIVE: Denzel Washington talks working with Tony and Ridley Scott, as he re-teams with Ridley on #GladiatorII.
"Both are great filmmakers," he tells Empire. "They can’t miss."
READ MORE: https://t.co/Pi6rghhoSG pic.twitter.com/NYEgAOXnm0
— Empire (@empiremagazine) August 23, 2024
At 69, Washington has already cemented himself as one of the greatest actors of all time. With two Oscars, three Golden Globes, and one Tony, Washington has nothing to prove. The chance to work with Scott, who he collaborated with on American Gangster, was too good to pass up.
“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” Washington told Empire Magazine. “He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86.”
Washington has the rare distinction of working with both Ridley and Tony Scott. While Washington refuses to compare the brothers, The Equalizer star has no problem showering them with praise and admiration.
“I don’t compare directors,” Washington said in the same interview. “You see the different personalities. I suppose they do [have similarities]. On the days when we’re shooting, I’m busy with what I’m doing. So I’m not comparing this one to that one, but obviously both are great filmmakers. They can’t miss.”
Ridley Scott believes Gladiator II is one of the best things he’s made
EXCLUSIVE ⚔️#GladiatorII is "the best thing I’ve ever made", Ridley Scott tells Empire.
Or, at least, "one of the best things". "I’ve made a few good’uns," he says.
READ MORE: https://t.co/xc8KtnJeVx pic.twitter.com/TyTKTzCGpz
— Empire (@empiremagazine) August 22, 2024
What is Scott’s best film? It’s a loaded question, considering the 86-year-old has directed some of the best films ever made. Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator are certified classics. While Scott initially believed Gladiator II could be his best work, he eventually conceded and acknowledged his other great films.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever made,” Scott told Empire Magazine. “One of the best things. I’ve made a few good ’uns.”
Denzel Washington praises Paul Mescal’s performance
Denzel Washington on Watching Son Malcolm Direct ‘The Piano Lesson,’ Which August Wilson Adaptation Is Next and Why ‘Gladiator’ Is a ‘Hard Act to Follow’ https://t.co/sPGWF0k6oC
— Variety (@Variety) September 10, 2024
Creating a sequel superior to its Oscar-winning predecessor is no easy task. Washington understood this pressure when signing on for the role. However, Washington credits Mescal and Pascal for stepping up, describing their performances as better than good. Washington even went so far as to single out Mescal, who gives one of the best performances of his young career.
“Not good. Great. Both of them,” Washington told Variety. “It’s a hard act to follow, and Paul pulled it off. He’s his own gladiator.”
Gladiator II Oscars’ chances
Paramount will position Gladiator II as an awards season contender, with multiple Oscar nominations possible. Even with a strong critical reception and high box office gross, Gladiator II is fighting an uphill battle at the Academy Awards. The Godfather series is the only franchise with multiple Best Picture wins. Furthermore, The Godfather Part II and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King are the only sequels to win Best Picture.
Gladiator II will be a major player in the below-the-line categories, like Visual Effects and Production Design. Above-the-line is much trickier to predict. Based on the oddsmakers and pundits, Mescal will campaign for Best Actor, with Washington and Mescal electing for Supporting Actor. Scott could easily find his way in the Best Director category. Best Picture is very possible if the movie performs well.
