Summary

• Gladiator 2 has been in development for 20 years and is finally arriving in 2024, with Ridley Scott at the helm.
• Denzel Washington will play a character in Gladiator 2 who was once a slave and is now a wealthy citizen of Rome, seeking revenge.
• The Gladiator sequel cast includes Paul Mescal, Fred Hechinger, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, and Pedro Pascal. Russell Crowe will not be returning.

Gladiator 2 has been in various stages of development for 20 years, and it's finally arriving in 2024 — although it's going to be very different from the original 2000 movie. Despite the ups and downs and numerous changing story concepts, the Gladiator sequel news revealed so far has confirmed it's in production. The original Gladiator was beloved by fans and critics alike, gaining 12 Oscar nominations and taking home big prizes in Best Picture and the Best Actor category for star Russell Crowe.

Ridley Scott will once again be at the helm for Gladiator 2, and plans for the sequel have been in the works since the first film's huge success and have gone through different scripts and creative teams. At one early stage, Nick Cave was attached as a screenwriter with a script that would see Crowe's Maximus returning in a reincarnated form to go on a fantastical romp through historical eras. Thankfully, the plans have changed, and the latest Gladiator 2 plot will follow a much better story written by David Scarpa and picked up by Paramount.

Most Recent Gladiator 2 News

The Sequel's Full Title Is Revealed

As the long-awaited legacy sequel barrels toward its release date, the latest news sees the reveal of the full title of Gladiator 2. In a display at CinemaCon in April 2024, the logo and full title for the new movie were revealed, even if they were a bit anticlimactic. Eschewing any subtitles, the sequel will simply be called Gladiator II, stylizing the number, appropriately, as Roman numerals. An X user @Cinepop snapped images of the Gladiator 2 display which featured life-size statues and a shield bearing the film's title and tagline "What we do in life echoes in eternity."

More reveals continued as exclusive footage from Gladiator 2 was revealed at CinemaCon. During Paramount Pictures' presentation at the yearly movie expo, a trailer for the long-awaited sequel was screened which reveals the action-oriented nature of Gladiator 2. Paul Mescal's Lucius engages in arena combat while Pedro Pascal's character engages in bloody warfare. The trailer culminates with a sword battle between the two characters in the coliseum. It's unclear when or if the CinemaCon trailer will be revealed to the public.

Gladiator 2 Release Date

Gladiator 2 Arrives In November

The Gladiator 2 release date will be Friday, November 22nd, 2024. Considering the bombastic display that was the first film, Gladiator 2 will likely have a full-blown theatrical release, as any Ridley Scott production is best enjoyed in theaters. It's probable that the Gladiator sequel will run in theaters for a time before getting a streaming release.

Gladiator is available to stream on Paramount+ and Showtime.

Gladiator 2 Cast

Paul Mescal Leads A Star-Studded Cast

The Gladiator 2 cast is quickly expanding with so many notable actors attached. The Gladiator sequel will see Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Mescal (Aftersun) take on the lead role of Lucius. In Gladiator, Lucius was the son of Roman empress Lucilla and Lucius Verus, nephew to the villainous Roman Emperor Commodus. In the original film, he was played by Spencer Treat Clark, but Mescal will be taking over the role.

Fred Hechinger is playing Emperor Geta in Gladiator 2, whom Barry Keoghan was originally rumored to be playing. Emperor Geta was a real Roman figure, who ruled from 198 to 211. Based on Geta's history, it's unknown if he could be the villain to succeed Commodus. However, Gladiator 2 could seek to change historical events for its narrative benefit.

A heap of other new and returning cast members have also been announced, though some exact roles are still unknown. A complete list includes:

Russell Crowe Isn't Returning For Gladiator 2

Maximus Isn't In The Gladiator Sequel

Russell Crowe is not returning for Gladiator 2 since Maximus died at the end of the first Gladiator. However, many were hoping to see Crowe bring the iconic character to life again, and Crowe even mentioned in an interview with The Ryan Tubridy Show that he was slightly jealous of new actor Mescal's opportunity to star in the period drama. Regardless, Crowe called Scott's direction for the sequel "a very smart idea," and wishes the best for Mescal:

I'm sure at some point in time they'll want to ask me about something, but they haven't brought anything up in a while. It’s an extension of the narrative, but it is long beyond Maximus’ passing, so it doesn’t really involve me at all. I hear that young fella Paul is a good dude and I wish him the best of luck with it. I think where they're picking the story up from, a young Lucius, stepping into the role of emperor. I think that's a very smart idea within the world of the film that we created.

Gladiator 2 Story Details

Lucius Carries On Maximus' Legacy

Gladiator 2 will likely see Lucius, now a grown man, fighting in the ring as his political ties come back to haunt him.

The Gladiator 2 story will take place over 20 years after the events of the original film and follow a now-grown Lucius as he takes on Maximus' legacy. Lucius was the son of Lucilla (Nielsen), and he had a front-row seat to Maximus' story in Gladiator. However, rather than ascending as Caesar, which was his birthright, he was moved by Maximus' sacrifice and bravery and swore to carry on his legacy. Gladiator 2 will likely see Lucius, now a grown man, fighting in the ring as his political ties come back to haunt him.

• 

  Gladiator 2

  Release Date:

  2024-11-22

  Director:

  Ridley Scott

  Cast:

  Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, 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