“Gladiator”, the remembered epic film directed by Ridley Scott and released in 2000, remained in the great history of international cinema. So much so that it won two Oscars (for Best Picture and Best Male Actor, an award that Russell Crowe received for his portrayal of Máximo Décimo). And the success of the film was such that Scott’s own announcement referring to the confirmation of “Gladiator 2” was received with great joy and enthusiasm by fans and movie lovers.
However, beyond the fact that the film is a fact and will once again have Ridley Scott in the director’s chair, the delays in the start of filming have already claimed their first victim among the protagonists who had been confirmed for “Gladiator 2”. Because the actor who had been confirmed as the villain of the story had to give up his character, even though the filmmakers have already found his replacement.
“Gladiator 2”: due to delays in the start of filming, there was already a casualty among the protagonists, although they found a replacement
The story of “Gladiator 2” it will be set several years after the first film. We will no longer see Maximus Tenth (Russell Crowe) or the detestable Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) as in the first film, but now the film will focus on the story of Lucio Vero, Lucila’s son and nephew of the wicked Commodus. We saw this character in the first film, although now the story will focus on Lucius’ years as Roman emperor.
Lucila will once again be played by Connie Nielsen in “Gladiator 2” and, along with Djimon Hounsou (who played Juba in the first movie of “Gladiator”) and Derek Jacobi (Senator Graco) will be the only two faces in both films. As for the new protagonists, Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, May Calamawy, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas are already confirmed. They are joined, in addition and with special participations, Joseph Quinn and Denzel Washington.
However, another of the actors who were confirmed to “Gladiator 2” should have gotten off Is about barry keoghanwho had been confirmed by Scott for the role of the villain in the new film of “Gladiator”. However, the delays in the start of filming for the film -which will be filmed almost entirely in Morocco- meant that Keoghan had to get off the job due to other work and acting commitments that he had already confirmed. For the place vacated by Keoghan in “Gladiator 2”, Ridley Scott -neither dim nor lazy- already thought of Fred Hechinger (“The White Lotus”) as his replacement. The film is expected to be released in November 2024.