Nearly a quarter-century after bringing Ancient Rome to life and taking audiences on an epic adventure, Ridley Scott is taking us back once more with Gladiator II. The highly-anticipated sequel to one of the best movies of the 2000s is shaping up to be a worthy successor to the movie that entertained millions of moviegoers around the world with its swords-and-sandals epic that turned Russell Crowe into one of the biggest actors on the planet.
As we look toward the movie, which is set for release near the tail end of the 2024 movie schedule, let’s take a look at everything we know about the “magnificent spectacle’ that is the Gladiator sequel. From its release date to its cast (both new and returning actors) to other details about its story, there’s a lot to go over, so let’s go back to the glory days of the Roman Empire.
What Is The Gladiator 2 Release Date?
Fans of the original Gladiator, a movie that won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor, have had to wait 23 years for a follow-up movie, but we won’t have to wait all that much longer, as Gladiator 2 is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2024. Back in February 2023, Variety reported that the much-anticipated movie would open ahead of the Thanksgiving 2024 holiday weekend.
If the sequel is like its predecessor, then it could earn Ridley Scott and company multiple Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Who knows, maybe by the time the 2025 Oscars come around, we’ll be seeing the director and cast on stage giving acceptance speeches.
The Gladiator II Trailer
After years of hearing about the movie and months after reading about that exclusive CinemaCon 2024 footage, we finally got a chance to see a glimpse of Ridley Scott’s upcoming epic with the release of the Gladiator II trailer in July 2024. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, it was worth the wait.
The three-minute trailer not only introduced all of the new (and returning) characters, but it also heavily teased some truly epic fights in the middle of the Roman Colosseum like we’ve never seen before. While the first Gladiator featured tigers, masked combatants, and chariots, its sequel is going to have that and more. Rhinos with bloody horns, naval battles with shark-infested waters in the heart of Rome, and buckets upon buckets of blood are all heavily featured. This is going to be something!
The Gladiator II Cast
When Gladiator II hits the big screen later this year, the epic will feature a tremendous group of actors playing both new and returning characters. Let’s take a quick look at the Gladiator II cast.
Paul Mescal as (Lucius Verus)
The list of the best Paul Mescal movies will most likely get a little bit longer this November, as the Aftersun and All of Us Strangers star is set to lead Ridley Scott’s next movie. According to Deadline, Mescal will be taking on the role of Lucius Verus, the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from the first movie.
Denzel Washington as Macrinus
Denzel Washington has been attached to Gladiator II since March 2023 when Deadline reported that the two-time Academy Award winner was reuniting with his American Gangster director. According to footage viewed by CinemaBlend at CinemaCon 2024, Washington will be playing Macrinus, Lucius’ mentor and man with high aspirations in the Roman Empire though he reportedly has ulterior motives.
Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius
Before Pedro Pascal joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Fantastic Four: The First Steps movie, he’ll show up in Gladiator II as Marcus Acacius, a Roman general who will face off against Lucius in the Colosseum. Not much is known about his character, but Pascal has been a part of the project since May 2023, per Variety.
Joseph Quinn as Emperor Caracalla
Stranger Things Season 4 standout and the MCU’s new Johnny Storm, Joseph Quinn is set to have a major role in Gladiator II. According to Deadline, Quinn will be taking on the role of Emperor Caracalla.
Fred Hechinger as Emperor Geta
Fred Hechinger, who you may recognize from The White Lotus Season 1, is also set to have a sizable role in Gladiator II. According to Variety, the actor, who is also set to appear in Kraven the Hunter, will be playing Emperor Geta.
Connie Nielsen as Lucilla
Connie Nielsen will be one of the few actors from the original film to return for Gladiator II when she once again plays Lucilla, Lucius’ mother, according to EW.
Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus
Derek Jacobi, who played Senator Gracchus in Gladiator, is another actor returning for a second round of Roman action, per Variety.
What Is Gladiator II About?
When Gladiator II hits the big screen, it won’t pick up with the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius, as Russell Crowe’s iconic character died in the final moments of Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic. Instead, the movie will take place after a massive time jump and follow Paul Mescal’s Lucius as he embarks upon a revenge mission of his own after his life was upended by a pair of tyrannical emperors. According to Paramount Pictures, Lucius will look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome back to its people.
Ridley Scott Says Gladiator II Features The Biggest Action Sequence He’s Ever Done
Ridley Scott has never shied away from outdoing himself when it comes to massive and unforgettable action sequences, but it sounds like Gladiator II is going to push things to the next level. When speaking with Empire Magazine in July 2024, the Kingdom of Heaven and Alien director said his latest film will feature the biggest action sequence of his career, stating:
We begin the film with probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done. Probably bigger than anything in Napoleon.
This is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, because Napoleon featured one of the best big screen moments of 2023 with the epic and highly publicized ice battle, aka the Battle of Austerlitz. And if this is the opening scene, as Scott mentioned, it’s going to set one hell of a tone and scale for the sequel.
Ridley Scott Developed Gladiator II Alongside Napoleon Screenwriter David Scarpa
Ridley Scott, who has been trying to get a Gladiator sequel off the ground for more than 20 years, according to IGN, developed the upcoming movie with David Scarpa, the screenwriter of his 2023 biographical drama, Napoleon. In the January 2023 Deadline article revealing that Paul Mescal was to be taking on one of the lead roles in the sequel, it was also reported that Scarpa had penned the script.
This will be the third time the writer and director have worked together, with the aforementioned Napoleon and 2017 crime drama, All the Money in the World, being their previous collaborations. Over the years, Scarpa has also written movies like The Last Castle and The Day the Earth Stood Still, as well as three episodes of the Amazon original series, The Man in the High Castle.
Gladiator 2 Reportedly Has A Budget Of Over $300 Million
Based on the footage shown at CinemaCon 2024, as well as everything else we’ve heard about the movie, it should be no surprise that Gladiator II cost a pretty penny to make. In February 2023, The Hollywood Reporter published a report stating that the film, which was originally budgeted at $165 million, would end up being closer to around $310 million before everything was said and done.
According to sources referenced by THR, the reportedly massive budget wasn’t entirely due to massive action sequences or detailed and historically accurate sets, as the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were believed to have cost the production around $600,000 a week, or $10 million, during the lengthy shutdowns.
That It Hasn’t Been Announced, Gladiator II Could Be Rated R
Paramount Pictures hasn’t come out and confirmed a rating for Gladiator II at this point in time, but based on the footage shown at CinemaCon, it sounds more than likely that the movie will end up having an R-rating. The first film, which had its fair share of incredibly violent action sequences, was rated R, so it wouldn’t be odd if its sequel follows suit.
Is Russell Crowe Involved With Gladiator II?
Considering Russell Crowe’s character died at the end of Gladiator, it’s all but guaranteed we won’t be seeing the Oscar winner enter the Colosseum in the upcoming sequel. Crowe addressed the situation at the 2023 Karlovy Vary Film Festival (via Variety) where he said the movie had nothing to do with him and that he wasn’t it. However, he admitted to a “certain tinge of jealousy” about the project and not being involved.
This about catches up with Gladiator II at this point. If you’re looking to get an early start for next year’s slated releases, check out our rundown of all the upcoming 2025 movies.
