10 Ways Gladiator 2 Openly Repeats Gladiator 1

Includes MAJOR SPOILERS for Gladiator 2!

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Gladiator 2 is the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s Best Picture-winning Ancient Rome epic, and the movie takes many of its elements from the original film. It’s typical for modern sequels, be it Alien: Romulus or Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, to pay homage to the original films in their respective franchises, even when the original director is involved in making them. Ridley Scott returned to the world of Gladiator over two decades after the original, and despite Gladiator 2’s new cast, the movie doesn’t shy away from emulating the first film.

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Gladiator 2 follows Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), the young son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) from the first movie, who was outcast from Rome after the death of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Feeling betrayed by his mother for sending him away, Lucius has grown to resent the Roman Empire, and instead of returning to the city, he lives with a wife in Numidia on the northern coast of Africa. Eventually, destiny comes calling, and Lucius undergoes a very similar arc to Maximus (Russell Crowe) in the original. Leading up to Gladiator 2’s ending, there are numerous similarities.

10 Gladiator 2 Begins With A Roman Conquering Battle Sequence

Rome Invades New Territories At The Start Of Both Movies

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The original Gladiator film opens with Maximus leading a campaign against Germanic tribes on behalf of the Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. The sequence is epic and proves why Gladiator is one of the best ancient battle war movies, but it’s also vital for establishing Maximus as a hardened, fearless, and inspiring leader to his men. He has the loyalty of his troops, while Commodus arrives late to the campaign and misses the war.

Similarly, in Gladiator 2, the movie begins with a naval invasion of Numidia. General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) leads the war front for the Romans. Oppositely to the original, the movie’s main protagonist, Lucius, is on the defending side, fighting against the Romans alongside his wife. She’s killed in the conflict, and he’s knocked out and taken as a prisoner of war by the Roman forces, kickstarting the movie’s events.

9 Lucius Loses His Wife & Wants Revenge Against Rome

Lucius & Maximus Both Lose Their Wives Because Of Rome

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A significant part of Maximus’ arc in Gladiator is that he’s fighting for revenge against Commodus. After Marcus Aurelius dies, Maximus is intended to take the throne, but Commodus seizes control and becomes the emperor. He tries to have Maximus killed and has his wife murdered and his home destroyed. Maximus believes he has no purpose in life before realizing that, through the gladiatorial games in the Colosseum, he can rise up and defeat his enemy.

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Years later, in Gladiator 2, Lucius’ wife is killed in the film’s opening battle. Though he merely gave the command, Acacius is responsible for her death, and Lucius singles him out as his target for revenge. In Lucius’s case, he ultimately decides not to kill Acacius as he ends up learning more about him and realizes that he isn’t his true enemy. Acacius may have ordered the death of his wife, but it was a death in war, not a murder.

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8 Lucius Becomes A Slave & Rises To Prominence As A Gladiator

Lucius & Maximus Both Follow The Same Narrative Arc

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After the death of his wife in Gladiator, Maximus nearly gives up on everything until he’s bought by Proximo (Oliver Reed). Proximo explains to him that he can win over Rome by winning over the crowd, and he continues to prosper as a gladiator in fighting pits. Later, he’s brought to the Colosseum in Rome, where Maximus succeeds in defending his gladiator comrades against insurmountable odds, winning over the audience.

In Gladiator 2, Lucius is spotted by Macrinus (Denzel Washington) when he kills a rabid ape in an arena fight. Macrinus buys him and begins to use his talent to win bets against Senator Thraex (Tim McInnerny). Macrinus’ and Lucius’ goals align, as they both have an agenda in Rome, and Macrinus promises his young protégé the head of General Acacius, if he continues to win fights for him.

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7 Corrupt, Immature Emperors Rule In Rome

Caracalla & Geta Are Gladiator 2’s Commodus

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Joaquin Phoenix is masterful in Gladiator, playing the despicable villain Commodus. He’s the textbook example of a spoiled, insane, corrupt Roman emperor who was raised for the throne. He’s bored by politics, has no respect for anyone but himself, doesn’t care for the common folk, and is sexually attracted to his sister. It’s hard to imagine a worse leader than that, which makes him the perfect foil for Maximus, who manages to tip the balance of power away from him.

Fifteen years later, the twin Emperors, Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), rule Rome. Again, they show very little interest in the common people that make up their empire, with Acacius pointing out that their citizens aren’t being fed well. Instead of caring about this issue, they insist that Acacius continue to invade new territories for them, as they desire their legacy to regard them as conquerors.

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6 A Former Slave Turned Gladiator Owner Becomes The Hero’s Mentor

Macrinus Is Proximo With A Villain Twist

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Proximo is Maximus’ mentor in the original Gladiator film. He was a gladiator himself before the movie’s events and earned enough wealth to buy his freedom. He’s as familiar with the brutality but also the potential for glory as anyone, making him the perfect man to help Maximus win over the people of Rome. Later, he ends up dying on behalf of Maximus. In Gladiator 2, this role is fulfilled by Macrinus, though there’s a major twist.

Rather than be an ally to Lucius, Macrinus gains favor with the emperors until he’s close enough to kill them and seize power for himself.

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Macrinus ends up being the villain in the long-awaited sequel, as though his and Lucius’ goals align for a time, Macrinus is only intent on serving himself. Rather than be an ally to Lucius, Macrinus gains favor with the emperors until he’s close enough to kill them and seize power for himself. Before the movie’s events, Macrinus was a slave owned by Marcus Aurelius, and he mentors Lucius as a gamble to quickly obtain power in Rome.

5 Lucilla Helps Lucius & Maximus By Betraying The Emperors

Lucilla Plays A Similar Role In Both Gladiator Movies

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In both movies, Lucilla plays a similar role in trying to aid the hero against the emperor. In the first movie, she’s disloyal to Commodus, going in secret to meet with Maximus at night, trying her best to help him. Like her father, Lucilla’s primary goal is to create a unified and idealistic Rome, which naturally pits her against the corrupt tyrants in both movies.

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In Gladiator 2, she works against Caracalla and Geta by helping both Acacius and Lucius. Before even realizing that her son is alive and in Rome, she seeks to overthrow the emperors with Acacius’ military force, as their rampant corruption is leading Rome to self-destruct. Upon realizing Lucius is alive, she goes to visit him in his cage, much like how she visits Maximus in the original movie. In doing so, she persuades Lucius to fight not just for revenge but for Marcus Aurelius’ dream of Rome.

4 Acacius Is A General Who Hopes To Stop Fighting & Return To His Wife

Acacius Is Also Very Similar To Maximus

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In many ways, the character of Maximus is split into Lucius and Acacius, with Pedro Pascal’s character being the biggest X-factor in the movie. Trailers and early scenes pit him against Lucius, but it quickly becomes apparent that he isn’t an antagonist and actually has a lot in common with Maximus. His initial scene with Caracalla and Geta sees him request that he step down from his role as General to live out his days with his wife.

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Acacius is a talented general and respected leader among the Roman army, but he’s not interested in bloodshed. He wants what’s best for Rome but doesn’t believe that colonizing territories is what the empire needs, and he doesn’t like that he’s working for the glory of two corrupt leaders. Acacius’ main goal is to step down and live peacefully with Lucilla, but the only way he can do so is to be free of the emperors.

3 Acacius Plans To Use The Loyalty Of His Men To Take Rome Back From The Emperors

Acacius & Maximus Had A Similar Plot To Seize Control

Image via Paramount Pictures
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Another commonality between Acacius and Maximus is how they plan to take back Rome. Acacius reveals that he has an army of 5,000 men posted in Ostia, the western port of Rome, a short march from the city. These men are loyal to him, specifically, and will follow him even if it means going against the emperors of Rome, as Acacius is the one who’s led them and fought with them in battle.

Lucius sends Marcus Aurelius’ ring to bring Acacius’ army to Rome on his behalf, and the force marches to the gates of Rome for the movie’s climax.

In Gladiator, Maximus had a similarly loyal legion of soldiers awaiting his orders, which he hoped to use to retake Rome from Commodus. Unfortunately, Maximus is captured when he tries to escape, and his army never makes it to help him, forcing him to take matters into his own hands. After Acacius dies, Lucius sends Marcus Aurelius’ ring to bring Acacius’ army to Rome on his behalf, and the force marches to the gates of Rome for the movie’s climax.

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2 Gladiator 2 Uses Several Quotes From The Original Movie

Many Of Maximus’ Most Iconic Quotes Are Used

Aside from using narrative beats from the original movie, Gladiator 2 has several direct references to the first film in the form of quotes. Maximus has a shrine under the Colosseum that reads, “What we do in life echoes in eternity,” referring to the quote from his battle speech at the start of the first movie. His other tagline, “Strength and honor,” is repeated by several characters in the sequel and used as a chant by the gladiators before their final battle.

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At one point in the movie, Lucius says he won’t be Macrinus’ subject “in this life or the nex t,” calling back to Maximus’ monologue from the first movie when he reveals his face to Commodus in the arena. When revealing to Lucius that Maximus was his father, Lucilla also states, “His name was Maximus Decimus Meridius,” with a notably similar phrasing to that same scene from the first film.

1 Lucius Becomes A Leader Among The Gladiators

Lucius Unites His Fellow Gladiators Just Like His Father

Maximus is a natural-born leader in Gladiator, which is a massive part of what makes him such a compelling protagonist. Everyone around him seems to love and admire him, from the Roman legions to his fellow slaves in the gladiatorial games. When Maximus leads the gladiators, and they all survive, they realize that by remaining at his side, they’ll have a better chance at winning and earning their freedom.

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Lucius may not want to be a leader in Gladiator 2, but everywhere he goes, he’s respected by the men around him. In Numidia, he prepares a battle speech before the battle against the Romans. With the gladiators, he quickly becomes their leader in and out of the arena, helping them all stay alive using battle tactics. Finally, at the end of the movie, he earns the respect of the Roman legions after he kills Macrinus.

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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 Joseph Quinn 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 Cast Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz Runtime 148 minutes Expand

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Category: Entertainment