A new video from the set of Gladiator 2 posted on Instagram by Morocco’s Minister of Culture, Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, teases the highly anticipated sequel will feature a thrilling city siege battle. The movie is currently shooting in Morroco, which might imply how the upcoming film is connected to the historical expansion of the Roman Empire towards North Africa.
The first Gladiator movie tells the fictional story of Maximus (Russell Crowe), a Roman general who becomes a salve gladiator after a coup by emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius’s own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). The movie’s thrilling action scenes mostly happen in arenas, where Crowe proves his worth and becomes a symbol for all the people oppressed by the tyrannical new emperor. However, the first movie starts with a massive battle in the woods that showcases Maximus’ strategic brilliance and sense of honor. The battle shows how Maximus inspires his soldiers and explains why the general is seen as a threat by the new emperor.
With a name as tentative as Gladiator 2, we all hope to see more memorable gladiatorial fights in giant arenas. However, it seems like the sequel will also include a massive battle, this time focused on the siege of a Moroccan city. The battle might serve a similar purpose to the one in the first movie, showing the prowess of Oscar-nominee Paul Mescal. Mescal will play the heir to Commodus’ throne, Lucius, who apparently decided not to take the throne. Even so, since Lucius is the lead character of Gladiator 2, chances are he followed Maximus’ footsteps and became a general himself. If that’s the case, it makes sense for the movie to show his war victories before he steps into the gladiatorial arena, hence the city siege.
When Is Gladiator 2 Coming to Theaters?
The star-studded cast of Gladiator 2 also includes Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) as Emperor Geta, a real-life Roman Emperor who controlled the empire from 198 to 211. The movie also stars two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, who reunites with director Ridley Scott for the first time in fifteen years after working together in American Gangster. The cast also includes everyone’s favorite daddy Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) and Moon Knight‘s May Calamawy.
Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi, who starred in the first film as Lucilla and Senator Gracchus, will return to play the same roles, while Djimon Hounsou is rumored to come back as Juba. Since Gladiator 2 is set approximately 30 years after the events of the first movie, there’s still plenty of space to bring back more warriors who fought by the side of Maximus.
Gladiator 2 officially arrives in theaters on Friday, November 22nd, 2024. Check out the set video below:
via Collider