Fall movie season is in full swing. There are sequels, big-budget action spectacles, and awards dramas competing for our attention and our money. November 22 sees the release of a film that qualifies as all three: Gladiator 2. And we can’t wait to see it.
Gladiator was released in May 2000 and went on to win 5 Oscars, including Best Picture. The ancient epic (or “sword and sandal’ epic) was popular in the 1950s but had been out of favor for a long time. Gladiator rejuvenated that genre. It was both a mainstream blockbuster and an excellent film, two things that go together less often than they should.
Now, 24 years later, Gladiator 2 (or Gladiator II, to use the Roman numeral signage favored by the film’s marketing) hits theaters on November 22 and we’ve got a lot of reasons why we’re excited for this film.
The Quality of the First Film
Gladiator won Best Picture for a reason. Veteran director Ridley Scott crafted large-scale action sequences that truly lived up to the term “epic.” And the story had an emotional scale to match. Russell Crowe, in a star-making turn, played Maximus. He is Rome’s best general though all he wants is to reunite with his wife and son. Emporer Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) only trusts Maximus to make sure Rome becomes a republic after Aurelius dies, but this angers his son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). The unstable Commodus kills his father, then accuses Maximus of the crime, ordering his death and the death of Maximus’ wife and son for good measure. Maximus survives but is abducted into slavery as a gladiator. That doesn’t stop him from seeking revenge. Loss, vengeance, sacrifice– it’s all effective. Gladiator is outstanding moviemaking.
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The Cast
The roster of actors who’ve assembled for this film is impressive. Young talent Paul Mescal takes the lead role, and he’s surrounded by newcomers and veterans. Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi return from the first film. A variety of exciting performers join them to play the new characters. Legend Denzel Washington takes on the role of Macrinus, who seems to be guiding Mescal’s character but may not be trustworthy. Pedro Pascal also appears in a major role, while up-and-coming actors Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger as twin Emperors Geta and Caracalla who definitely give off villain vibes. The acting in this sequel is in good hands.
The Director
Ridley Scott returns to direct this sequel. The experienced filmmaker (who has, shockingly, never won the Oscar for Best Director) has always had a strong vision in his work. Gladiator was no exception. Aside from authenticity in the production values, the artistry of Scott’s choices strengthened the story’s impact. Even the very first frame of the film hints at Maximus’ eventual fate at the end. Scott also makes handling the sheer size and scope of the production look effortless. I have no doubt he will do the same with Gladiator 2, and watching him return to this world will be a treat.
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The Drama
Maximus’ story was thrilling and engaging, putting the audience through a lot of big emotions. Mescal plays Lucius, a character who appeared as a child in the first film. He is the son of Nielsen’s character, Lucilla, and the trailers for the film show that his story could be just as dramatic as Maximus’ or maybe more so. He will clearly go through struggles and loss of his own. But there’s more than that. Lucilla and Maximus had a romantic past, and throughout the first film, I expected her to tell him that Lucius was also his son. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. But it never happened. However, that tea has come back to a boil because the trailer has revealed that, yes, Lucius IS Maximus’ son. Oh, give me all of that drama!
The Action
With huge battle scenes and bone-jarring fights in the arena, Gladiator was a feast for action fans. The sequel looks like it is going even bigger. Not only does the trailer show shots of city walls besieged by battle, it also shows the Coliseum itself filled with water… AND SHARKS. A bonkers touch like that proves that the action sequences in this film won’t be boring, at least. They are trying to be distinctive and progress forward from the first film. That makes me want to see what Scott and his team have come up with. Even just a smaller hand-to-hand combat moment could be presented with bigger scope than usual in Gladiator 2. I look forward to finding out.
Gladiator 2 opens in theaters on November 22.
