10 Wildest Gladiator 2 Theories That Could Actually Happen

April 22, 2024, 6:35 p.m.

Movies

10 Wildest Gladiator 2 Theories That Could Actually Happen

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Summary Gladiator 2 features Lucius returning to Rome after spending 15 years in the wilderness.

Pedro Pascal possibly plays a gladiator seeking revenge against Emperor Caracalla.

Gladiator 2 could explore new locations in the Roman Empire and feature historical figures like Pertinax and Julia Domna.

Given the success of its predecessor, it is no surprise that wild theories about Gladiator 2 are circulating. Ridley Scott has tried many times in over 20 years to make a sequel to his Oscar-winning historical fiction epic Gladiator, but 2024 is the year that this is finally happening. Gladiator follows former Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe) who becomes a gladiator for the chance to kill Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) to avenge his family's deaths. Gladiator 2 follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus' love interest Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), in a new era of ancient Roman politics.

According to a brief interview with Scott, released by Rotten Tomatoes on X, Gladiator 2 will pick up after Lucius has been stranded in the wilderness for 15 years. He will return to Rome to find out if his mother is still alive and begin a new life. However, there are still many questions about the story of Gladiator 2 because the roles of several noteworthy cast members remain unconfirmed. Historians, Reddit users, and general movie fans have banded together to construct theories based on the limited information about the movie that has been released and ancient Roman history itself.

Actor Gladiator 2 role Paul Mescal Lucius Joseph Quinn Emperor Caracalla Fred Hechinger Emperor Greta Connie Nielsen Lucilla Derek Jacobi Senator Gracchus Pedro Pascal Unnamed Roman gladiator Denzel Washington Unnamed Roman businessman Matt Lucas Unknown Tim McInnerny Unknown May Calamawy Unknown

10 Pedro Pascal Plays A Gladiator Out For Revenge

Pascal's character may try to assassinate an emperor, as Maximus did.

Recent Gladiator 2 footage shown at CinemaCon apparently confirms that Pedro Pascal is playing another Roman general turned gladiator. According to Brian Truitt (via USA Today), "The sneak peek showed Pedro Pascal as a conquering warrior returning after battle, [...] But Pascal's character is weary of sacrificing young men to war, adding to a whiff of overall rebellion in the air." Pascal's character is also seen fighting Lucius in the Colosseum in the trailer, suggesting that his desire to retire does not go well.

If Pascal's character is forced back into battle by Emperor Caracalla (Joseph Quinn) when he wants to live a peaceful life, it would spark a conflict between them that may only end when one kills the other. Additionally, in an extensive Reddit post, @jimmy_costigan suggests that Pascal's character will try to avenge Lucius' death at the hands of Caracalla. Either way, Gladiator 2 would be setting up a new revenge storyline and putting Pascal back in arena-style action sequences that recall the epic battle between the Mountain and the Viper in Game of Thrones.

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9 Emperor Caracalla Kills Lucius

Lucius' death would mirror Maximus' end and real history.

While the character of Lucius as seen in the Gladiator movies is fictional, history may still play a role in his fate.

Quinn’s Caracalla is most likely the main villain of Gladiator 2. Caracalla and his brother Geta (Fred Hechinger) were co-emperors of the Roman Empire. However, they famously hated each other and Caracalla eventually killed his brother. Caracalla is also responsible for the execution of Lucilla’s real-life son Aurelius Pompeianus. While the character of Lucius as seen in the Gladiator movies is fictional, history may still play a role in his fate. This would also conform to the apparent confirmation that Gladiator 2 is copying Maximus’ story with Lucius.

The timeline is already off since the real Lucilla was executed by her brother Commodus after a failed coup, while she outlives him in Gladiator. Lucilla was married to a Lucius, but only a daughter from this marriage survived past childhood. Her son Aurelius was from a second marriage. After Caracalla killed Geta, he also had Aurelius killed. If @jimmy_costigan’s theory is to be believed, Lucius will be killed by Caracalla in Gladiator 2, and Pascal’s character will set out to avenge his death, possibly being a friend of Lucius’.

8 Maximus Never Died

Maximus could return in Gladiator 2 if his death in Gladiator was a fake-out.

Despite Crowe passionately denying that he is returning for Gladiator 2, people are unlikely to abandon that theory anytime soon. It would not be the first time an actor has flat-out lied to conceal their role in a movie. The theories of how Maximus could return in Gladiator 2 range in plausibility and realism, but perhaps the most simple explanation would be that he never died in the first place. Crowe's agent proposed this idea as a way for Crowe to return, sometime in the years of Gladiator 2 being in development.

They could be setting up a hidden plot twist later in the movie where Lucius, after a couple of hours of dealing with Caracalla and the rest of the scheming Roman politicians, meets Maximus again. Maximus could be an effective, shadowy legacy character offering words of wisdom about Lucius' circumstances and the state of Rome as a whole. Maximus' return is unlikely at this point and was always a risky endeavor, but it could result in a fan-favorite moment.

7 Gladiator 2 Will Feature Show More Territories Of The Roman Empire

Historians believe Gladiator 2 could feature new locations in the ancient world.

Caracalla and Geta were both of the Severan dynasty, the last dynasty of the Roman Empire. Their father Septimius Severus was a politician who claimed the title of emperor in the chaos following Commodus’ death. Historians have tried to predict Gladiator 2's plot based on this information: Archaeologists Dr. Simon Elliott and Tristan Hughes discussed in a History Hit episode how they believe that Septimus’ role could lead to Gladiator 2 showing new locations in the ancient Roman Empire, therefore enriching the history of the movie.

Septimus was born in one of the Roman provinces of Northern Africa, a location that appears in Gladiator. During his reign, Septimus led campaigns into Africa and Britain. Elliot and Hughes theorize that the history of Septimus’ regime could be used to showcase the architectural highlights and political and economic importance of these regions to the Roman Empire — and some of the known filming locations for Gladiator 2 and other Scott films seem to support this theory.

6 Juba Will Return In Gladiator 2 (Or He Will Be Mentioned)

Juba was expected to return, but Djimon Hounsou says otherwise.

Like Crowe, original Gladiator actor Djimon Hounsou confirmed that he would not return, following reported expectations that he would be appearing in Gladiator 2. According to Hounsou, he was meant to return, but unlucky circumstances prevented this. He could also be concealing a surprise cameo or a brief scene with him could be added in later if there are reshoots. However, even if he doesn't appear, Hounsou's character Juba could still be mentioned and have some bearing on the plot.

Maximus is certainly going to be referenced, even if Crowe does not return. Juba is a friend and fellow gladiator to Maximus in Gladiator and is freed from slavery according to Maximus' wishes before he dies at the end of the movie. Juba may have attempted to return to his family (mentioned briefly) after the events of Gladiator. Even if Juba does not appear in Gladiator 2, a member of his family still could.

5 An Additional Roman Emperor Will Appear In Gladiator 2

Gladiator 2 actors currently unattached to any character could play another Roman Emperor.

The fallout of the end of Commodus' reign may or may not be depicted in Gladiator 2. This led to what is known as the Year of Five Emperors, in which — as Game of Thrones fans can probably infer — five different men claimed the title of emperor. The conflict ended when Septimus Severus became emperor. The official successor to Commodus was Pertinax, the son of a freed slave who rose through the ranks of the Roman military before becoming a governor and being named emperor after Commodus' death.

Elliott names Pertinax as a character he would love to see in Gladiator 2, and there are a couple of actors who could be playing him. Matt Lucas and Tim McInnerny's roles are both currently unknown. McInnerny is the less likely of the two as he is credited as "Thraex" via IMDB, which is a type of Roman gladiator. Additionally, Pertinax being included would mean that the movie's timeline would have to start early enough to show Septimus' regime.

4 Julia Domna Will Play A Role In Gladiator 2

The mother of Caracalla and Geta was an important figure in ancient Rome.

Another major figure from the relevant historical period that has yet to be mentioned in the context of Gladiator 2 is Julia Domna, the second wife of Septimus Severus and the mother of Caracalla and Geta. Hughes says that of all the historical figures he would like to see in Gladiator 2, he believes Julia Domna is the most likely to appear. Julia Domna is one of the most powerful empress dowagers in Roman history and acted as a mediator and advisor to her sons while they were in power.

At this time, May Calamawy is confirmed to be a part of the Gladiator 2 cast but is not attached to any specific role. She may be playing Julia Domna despite being too young to be the relevant actors' mother (Calamawy is 37, Quinn is 30, Hechinger is 24; Julia Domna was 28 at the time of Caracalla's birth). However, Hollywood is usually unconcerned with realistic age gaps between actors playing parents and children. Calamawy could also appear in flashbacks when her on-screen sons are younger or be aged up with modern cinematic tricks.

3 Maximus Is Lucius' Father

There are still theories that Maximus could be Lucius' biological father.

Maximus being revealed to be Lucius' biological father would be something of a contrived plot point — but it could still happen. Despite Maximus' dedication to his wife in Gladiator, there is romantic tension between him and Lucilla throughout the movie, and their past is not explained in detail. Lucius is officially the son of Lucilla's late husband, also called Lucius. This aligns with real history, although Lucilla's only son from her first marriage, who was named after her husband, did not survive past childhood.

Jonathan Fuge posited (via MovieWeb) that "Gladiator 2 will take place decades after the first movie and is likely to follow Lucius as he searches for the truth about his biological father, discovering that he is in fact the secret son of Maximus." While Lucius is obviously the main character of Gladiator 2, the rest of this theory is unconfirmed. It seems like a storyline that could come across as forced, but it would contribute to themes of Lucius following in Maximus' footsteps of opposing tyrannical rule and fighting an emperor when the odds are stacked against him.

2 Lucilla Is Dead (& Will Appear In Flashbacks In Gladiator 2)

Lucilla will play a role in Lucius' Gladiator 2 arc in some way.

It is widely speculated that there will be at least some flashbacks in Gladiator 2, as Aflie Tempest is set to play a young Lucius (replacing Spencer Treat Clark from Gladiator, who has now aged out of the role). Lucius returns to Rome looking for his mother, but he might find out that she is dead after all. The historical Lucilla was executed by her brother; while she avoids this fate in Gladiator, she may still have been considered troublesome by another emperor and killed. If this is the case, Lucilla would likely only appear in flashbacks in Gladiator 2.

If her death was orchestrated by Caracalla or Geta, it sets Lucius on a very clear path of pursuing revenge. Gladiator 2 seems to be dedicated to the revenge structure of the first movie, with Lucius, Pascal's character, and Denzel Washington's character all possibly sharing this motivation. Lucilla's death could contribute to an interesting dynamic between these three characters where they are all after revenge but are allies and enemies to each other at different points in the story.

Related Anthony Hopkins' Ancient Rome Peacock Show Eases The Wait For Gladiator 2 With First Trailer The trailer for Peacock's new Ancient Roman show starring Anthony Hopkins eases the wait for audiences keen for a return to the arena in Gladiator 2.

1 Denzel Washington's Character Will Become The Emperor Of Rome

While they might be bending history, Washington would be amazing as a Roman Emperor.

Yet Gladiator was never strictly historically accurate, and Washington as an ambitious figure who uses his alliance with Lucius to become emperor could be spectacular.

Washington's role in Gladiator 2 is also the subject of much debate. His character is confirmed to be a former slave who is working against Emperors Caracalla and Geta and becomes a mentor figure to Lucius along the way. Of Washington's character, Scott said (via Deadline): "He’s wealthier than most senators, so already has thoughts and designs of the possible idea of taking power from these two crazy princes." These fragments of information position Washington's character as a businessman/gladiator sponsor/unofficial politician who is steadily gaining power in the Roman Empire.

@jimmy_costigan even proposes the theory that Washington is Emperor Macrinus, who had Caracalla assassinated and succeeded him as emperor. Macrinus is notably the first emperor who did not come from the senatorial class and never visited Rome during his reign. Depending on where the scenes with Washington take place, they might have to change history a little bit to make this work. Yet Gladiator was never strictly historically accurate, and Washington as an ambitious figure who uses his alliance with Lucius to become emperor as the finale to Gladiator 2 could be spectacular.

Gladiator 2 Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott's award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Barry Keoghan as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward. Director Ridley Scott Release Date November 22, 2024 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures , Universal Pictures , Scott Free Productions , Red Wagon Entertainment Writers David Scarpa Cast Paul Mescal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Derek Jacobi , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Pedro Pascal prequel(s) Gladiator

Source: USA Today, Reddit, History Hit, IMDB, MovieWeb, Deadline