Prepare to be entertained once again as fans return to Ancient Rome for Gladiator II, premiering in theaters on Friday, November 22.
Winner of five Academy Awards and one of the highest-grossing films of 2000, Gladiator captivated fans with the story of Maximus as he seeks vengeance against Emperor Commodus for his family and for Rome. Now, the saga continues with a new sequel featuring big-name stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington. This watch guide will provide everything to know about the release date, plot, cast and more.
Check out the trailer below.
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When Is The ‘Gladiator II’ Release Date?
Gladiator II comes out in theaters on Friday, November 22, in the United States, and on Friday, November 15, in the United Kingdom.
What is ‘Gladiator II’ Going To Be About?
Gladiator II centers around the character Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), who you may remember from the first film as the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). In the sequel, he’s all grown up and living peacefully with his family in Numidia when the Roman army invades his home and kills his family, taking everything he cares about. Similar to Maximus (Russell Crowe) in the original movie, Lucius is forced into slavery. He is sold to a wealthy arms dealer named Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and forced to become a gladiator. Macrinus desires to one day become the Emperor, and he sees Lucius as the key to claiming the throne.
In the trailer, his mother reveals to Lucius that Maximus was his father and tells him to draw strength from his legacy. Lucius must fight to free Rome from the tyrannical rule of the twin Emperors, Caracalla and Geta. Get ready for epic battles, bloody fight scenes and a new era of strength and honor.
Who Is In The Cast of ‘Gladiator II’?
While you won’t see Russell Crowe or Joaquin Phoenix in the sequel, the upcoming film is action-packed with big names. Let’s take a look at the main cast of Gladiator II.
- Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus, the grandson of Emperor Marcus Aurelius
- Denzel Washington as Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer
- Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, a general who trained under Maximus
- Connie Nielsen reprising her role as Lucilla, the mother of Lucius
- Derek Jacobi reprising his role as Senator Gracchus
- Joseph Quinn as co-emperor Geta and twin brother of Caracalla
- Fred Hechinger as co-emperor Caracalla and twin brother of Geta
What Happened in ‘Gladiator’?
It’s been 24 years since Russell Crowe’s character cried out the famous line “Are You Not Entertained?” so you may need a refresher on the plot. Here’s a summary to help get you up to speed on what happened in Gladiator.
Warning: Big Spoilers Ahead!
The movie begins in 180 A.D. as General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) leads the Roman army to victory. The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, asks how he can reward Rome’s greatest general, but Maximus just wants to return home to his wife and son. However, the Emperor is dying and he wants Maximus to succeed him and restore Rome as a Republic instead of the empire going to his corrupt son, Commodus.
Maximus is given until sundown to think about the offer while the Emperor tells Commodus that he won’t be the next Caesar. Commodus is unable to accept this decision and kills his father to take the throne. Commodus gives Maximus a chance to pledge his loyalty to the new Emperor, but knowing that the new Emperor killed his father, he refuses. He is quickly arrested and told both he and his family will be executed. While Maximus is able to escape from his executioners, he is unable to get home in time to save his family and finds his wife and son murdered.
After burying their bodies, he collapses from exhaustion and is captured by slave traders. Maximus is taken to Zaccabar where he is sold to a gladiator trainer named Proximo. His fighting skills quickly gain him attention and he is given the nickname “The Spaniard.” Meanwhile, Commodus and his sister Lucilla return to Rome but he has no interest in working with the Senate to govern. Instead, Commodus plans to host 150 days of Gladiator Games to honor his late father and win over the people of Rome.
Proximo and his gladiators travel to the Colosseum and he tells Maximus that if he wins the crowd he could win his freedom. Forced to reenact the Battle of Carthage in the arena, Maximus leads the other gladiators to an unexpected victory, catching the attention of Commodus who comes into the arena to congratulate him. Maximus plans to kill the Emperor but stops when he sees Lucius, Lucilla’s son. Instead, Maximus removes his helmet and reveals to Commodus and the crowd his true identity. The crowd convinces Commodus to let Maximus live.
However, Commodus becomes obsessed with trying to kill Maximus. He sets up a fight between one of the fiercest undefeated gladiators and deadly tigers. Maximus not only wins but spares the other gladiator’s life. Eventually, Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel but stabs him in the back before the fight to get an unfair advantage. Maximus is able to overtake and kill Commodus but he is also fatally wounded. Before he dies, he asks for his men to be freed and Rome to become a Republic as Marcus Aurelius wished. Maximus dies and he is finally reunited with his wife and son in the afterlife.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does ‘Gladiator 2’ come out?
Gladiator II will premiere in theaters on Friday, November 22, in the U.S. and on Friday, November 15, in the U.K.
Is Maximus in ‘Gladiator 2’?
No. While it is possible that Russell Crowe’s character Maximus could appear in a flashback, the actor is not part of the new film.
Will There Be A ‘Gladiator 3’?
Most likely. It’s been reported that director Ridley Scott is already working on the story for Gladiator III.
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