Summary
Gladiator 2 director Ridley Scott reveals what happened to Lucius after the events of his original movie. Serving as a sequel to his 2000 film starring Russell Crowe, the upcoming movie is set to follow an entirely different protagaonist. With Crowe’s Maximus having died during the emotional Gladiator ending, the follow-up movie will instead pick up the story with Lucius, played by Paul Mescal.
Now, as the Gladiator 2 release date slowly approaches, Scott reveals more details about Mescal’s Lucius in a recent interview with Rotten Tomatoes.
The director shares just how much time has passed since Maximus’ death and how Lucius will be a very changed character from what audiences remember when the story picks back up again. Check out Scott’s full comment below:
“Paul [Mescal] is playing Lucius… That’s someone who’s 12, and this is about 12, 15 years later. He’s been out in the wilderness having lost touch with his mother. Mother lost touch with him, doesn’t know where he is. She thinks he might be dead.”
How Will Lucius Compare To Russell Crowe’s Maximus?
Scott’s Latest Update Confirms How Gladiator 2 Will Be Similar To The Original
The original movie begins with Maximus, a Roman general, leading a successful battle against the barbarian horde. Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus then betrays the high-ranking military commander and Maximus ends up being sold into slavery. When Gladiator 2’s story was first confirmed to be following Lucius, the son of Roman Empress Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), it was unclear exactly how gladiatorial combat would factor into the sequel.
With the reveal that Lucius has seemingly renounced his royal life and the power that accompanied it, the sequel’s story could now follow something of a similar trajectory to the original, albeit with a new twist. Both films revolve around wealthy people with power who lose their power and instead live violent, less privileged lives. The difference with Lucius, of course, is that he has seemingly chosen to leave his old life behind instead of having that choice made for him.
These new character details about Lucius create the potential for an interesting story in Gladiator 2, with the character having very much evolved from the sheltered boy in the first movie. The fact that Lucius has abandoned his old life could also tease how Maximus’ legacy will live on in the sequel. It’s possible, for example, that Maximus’ death is a big part of the reason why Lucius has embarked on this journey in the wilderness in Gladiator 2.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes/ X
Release Date: 2024-11-22
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Pedro Pascal
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genres: Action, Drama, Epic, History
Writers: David Scarpa
Studio(s): Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment
Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
prequel(s): Gladiator
