Spoiler Alert: Spoilers follow forGladiator II
Quick Links
As impossible as it is to believe,Gladiator IIis finally among us. For years, even as Ridley Scott insisted he had an idea, many balked at the notion of a sequel to the 2000 Best Picture winner, considering it tied things up perfectly. Yet early buzz indicates thatScott has mostly recaptured that magic, making a surprisingly worthy follow-up and an entertaining action flick in its own right. Amazingly, even at the age of 86, Scott has no intentions of slowing down any time soon:he’s already planning on turning his now-franchise into a trilogy.
Admittedly, we once again balked at this announcement, but upon reflection, it actually seems like an obvious idea. For one thing,Gladiator IIhas arguably seen better critical and financial (at least overseas) success than anyone would’ve initially guessed. More importantly,the new installment ends on a note that allows Scott to continue the story, this time almost assuredly with a shorter wait (as promised by Paul Mescal). Obviously, we’ll have to see how well this film performs domestically, but maybeGladiator IIIis actually a good idea.
Gladiator II
Read Our Review
Does ‘Gladiator II’ Set up a Third Installment?
Obviously, Ridley Scott hasn’t gone into detail about his plans for a trilogy capper, aside from insisting that he has an idea ready.In a recent interview, he elaborated a bit further on what he’s envisioning: “The ending ofGladiator IIis reminiscent ofThe 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 II Star Shares the Staggering Details of the Water Fight
The charming Fred Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla and takes us behind the scenes of the Colosseum water fight and working with Joseph Quinn.
Indeed,Gladiator IIends a bit less definitively than the original, which concluded with the death of its protagonist. This time, Maximus’s son Lucius (Paul Mescal) survives, but after defeating the power-hungry Macrinus (a phenomenal Denzel Washington), he realizes his journey has only begun. Having learned that he’s the imperial heir (which is why his mother sent him away as a child),he’s set to become Rome’s new emperor. Despite Macrinus’s conviction that the Empire is beyond saving and is better off burning to the ground, a hopeful new leader like Lucius indicates a new path to keeping Marcus Aurelius’s dream of a republic alive.
Where Else Could a Third ‘Gladiator’ Go?
There’s another interesting wrinkle that could fuel a thirdGladiator. As any history buff knows, the Roman Empire never reinstated its republic before its unceremonious fall, meaning Marcus Aurelius’s dream was ultimately a lost cause. The first twoGladiatorfilms were already fueled by this in some way, as they both painstakingly illustrated the widespread instability across the Roman Empire. The new installment’s villain, Macrinus, states that Rome is beyond saving, even as Lucius comes to represent a beacon of hope for those who believe otherwise.
Considering howGladiator IIhas faced minor criticism for so closely sticking with the structure of the original (at least for the first half), a genre shift for another sequel might not be a bad idea. TheGladiatorfilms have always been about political intrigue as much as combat, and an installment focused on Lucius’s struggles to be an effective ruler has a lot of creative potential. Ridley Scott will have to work quickly if he ever wants to conclude his trilogy, but consideringhowGladiator IIhas provedhe remains as kinetic as ever, we can’t wait to see what he’s got.Gladiator IIis now playing in theaters.
