There’s noRidley Scotthistorical epic that is more beloved than 2000’sGladiator. Although“sword and sandals” movieshad seemingly been dormant since the 1960s, Scott reinvented the genre that gave usSpartacusandBen-Hurwith a powerful story of political intrigue, revenge, and destiny. With its spiritual overtones and more melancholy analysis of grief,Gladiatoris much more than just an action film.Gladiator’s impact was recognized almost immediately upon its release; the film took home the Academy Award for Best Picture, and wonRussell Crowehis first Best Actor prize for the role ofGladiator’s fearless hero, General Maximus Decimus Meridius.Cameras may be rolling onthe upcomingGladiatorsequel, but it’s unclear how the next film in the series will continue the story, considering how definitive the first film’s ending is.
What Is ‘Gladiator’ About?
Gladiatoris set in 180 AD, and explores the evolution of the Roman Empire under Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Praised for his tactical skills and political awareness, Aurelius is a beloved Emperor who has made decisions that suit the better interests of his people. Although Aurelius has led a successful career and has honored the time-honored traditions of the Roman Empire, he recognizes that some things must change in order to protect the future of his country. Aurelius is faced with an unenviable line of succession; his son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), is completely unfit to rule.
As Aurelius contemplates his decision, he notes that Maximus, his most loyal friend and ally, has led the Roman legion to a successful victory over rebelling Germanic tribes. Maximus’ strength of character leads Aurelius to announce a decision that has long been in the works. He names Maximus as his successor, but Commodus doesn’t take too kindly to the decision. He shockingly murders his father in cold blood before Maximus is able to take over in his place. Commodus moves quickly to publicly proclaim himself as Emperor, and demands loyalty from all of his father’s former allies.
This doesn’t sit well with Maximus. He knows that the former Emperor would never allow Commodus to take the throne, as his ruthless nature is entirely unbefitting to lead the country. Unfortunately, Maximus pays the price for refusing to meet Commodus’ demands. After refusing to pledge an oath of loyalty to the new Emperor, Maximus is arrested by Praetorian guards and finds his entire family has been murdered. Distraught with grief, Maximus is only given a few brief moments to bury his family with honor before he is captured by slavers and forced to fight in the Roman gladiatorial arenas.
What Happens to Maximus in ‘Gladiator’?
Maximus is initially reluctant to fight for sport. He is a seasoned military man who has spent a lifetime killing, and wants to only engage in combat if he can do so with honor. However, Maximus realizes that each battle that he wins in the arenas brings him newfound popularity among the Roman crowds. As he begins to build himself back up with each successive victory, Maximus realizes that he may have a chance to fight his way to the top and confront Commodus about his betrayal. A public gladiatorial battle witnessed by all of Rome would be the perfect place for Maximus to reveal what Aurelius’ true intentions were.
Maximus’ identity is revealed to Commodus after a staged battle; although Commodus initially proclaims his congratulations to the mysterious masked gladiator, he is taken aback when Maximus accuses him of murdering his father. Commodus’ first thought is to have Maximus killed, but the crowd is on the gladiator’s side. Commodus reluctantly decides to imprison Maximus so that he can fight again in a grand battle in the Roman Colosseum. He has Maximus imprisoned as he prepares to personally challenge him to a duel.
During Maximus’ imprisonment, he reunites with Commodus’ sister Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who remains loyal to her father’s true successor. Lucilla informs Maximus, her former lover, that many of the Roman legions are still loyal to him, and will back a rebellion against Commodus. Although Commodus ultimately discovers the conspiracy after questioning Lucilla’s son, Lucius, Maximus is able to escape from the gladiatorial prison. Although he successfully initiates the seeds of rebellion, Maximus is captured once again by Commodus’ forces before he can begin an official revolution.
Commodus and Maximus prepare to duel in front of the Roman crowd, but the wicked new Emperor can’t help but cheat his way to victory; he stabs Maximus in the lung before the battle begins. However, Maximus is still able to defeat Commodus and kill him before succumbing to his own wounds. As Maximus lies dying, he helps ensure that Aurelius’ last commands are taken into effect; Rome will be reformed, his fellow gladiators will be freed, and his new ally Senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi) will be reinstated. Maximus has a vision of his family in the afterlife as he dies; he may never have lived to see himself as Emperor, but he’s finally able to reunite with the family that was taken away from him.
Given the definitive conclusion to Maximus’ story, it seemed unlikely that aGladiatorsequel would ever move forward. However,Nick Caveonce proposed a completely bizarre sequelthat would have taken the film from the historical genre to high fantasy. Incorporating elements of Roman mythology and religious imagery, Cave’sGladiator 2would have featured an immortal Maximus fighting in every major battle in history. Crowe was ultimately not a fan of the idea, leading to the project’s cancelation. Details about the current version of Scott’sGladiator 2, slated for release in November 2024, are scarce. Crowe will not reprise his role, but the impressive new cast includesPaul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Matt Lucas, Pedro Pascal,and returning performances from Nielsen, Jacobi, andDjimon Honsu.Gladiator 2certainly sounds like it will be an impressive new action epic from Scott, but it will undoubtedly suffer from comparisons to one of the greatest “sword and sandals” films in cinematic history.
