Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Gladiator II’
Ridley Scott’s original action-dramaGladiatorended with the death of Maximus (Russell Crowe) after his duel with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), with Maximus joining his family in the afterlife.Gladiatoralso leaves the audience with the open-ended question of whether his dream of a better Rome will come to fruition. Instead of this completely uncertain fate,Gladiator IIhas an ending that places control in the hands of our protagonist Lucius (Paul Mescal), and still leaves in the spiritual elements that are throughout theGladiatorlore. Whether we will get a sequel to the questions we have at the end of the film is still unclear, butlet’s dive into just howGladiator IIended and what it could potentially mean forthe future of Rome.
Macrinus and Emperor Caracalla Rise To the Peak of Power in ‘Gladiator II’
In the end, the main villain is revealed to be Macrinus (Denzel Washington), as his web of deceitful politics brings him to the status of the puppet pulling the Emperor’s strings. Throughout the film, we see that the twin emperors, Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), are not equal, with Geta being the one in control. Macrinus ends up using the insecurity that this creates in Caracalla to convince him to murder his own brother, even assisting him in cutting Geta’s head off. Caracalla not only takes charge of Rome, but appoints his pet monkey, Dundus, as First Consul. However, in appointing Macrinus to the position of Second Consul,he allows Washington’s character all the power from behind the throne, but Macrinus isn’t done there.
‘Gladiator II’s Climax Witnesses Paul Mescal’s Lucius Taking His Rightful Place
After Lucius embraces his heritage as Maximus’ son and the Prince of Rome, he tells the gladiator doctor Ravi (Alexander Karim) to send word to the Roman army. This is an army of 5,000 soldiers loyal to Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who was going to use this force to depose the twin emperors, before he and Lucilla (Connie Nielson), Lucius' mother, are betrayed by Macrinus. Lucius uses Ravi’s keys to free the other gladiators so they may follow him in protecting his mother from the Praetorian Guard ordered to execute her in the Colosseum.
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However, before he can untie Lucilla, Macrinus fires an arrow into her heart. This comes just after he assassinated Emperor Caracalla to take control of the empire. Macrinus flees on horseback, and Lucius chases after him. Lucius and Macrinus' armies standoff just outside of Rome, and during their fight, Macrinus almost stabs Lucius, but Maximus' breastplate protects him, allowing Lucius to bludgeon him with a rock, cut off his hand, and slice his stomach, killing the scheming villain. To prevent any more bloodshed,Lucius stands before the two armies, and rallies everyone to a single cause: rebuilding the dream of Rome together.
Lucius Asks His Father, Russell Crowe’s Maximus, For Guidance in the Final Moments of ‘Gladiator II’
Mescal’s Lucius kneels in the Colosseum and grabs some of the dirt, a recurring character trait that links him to his father. He then asks his father to “speak to” him. Clouds roll overhead, and it appears something truly divine is about to occur. Which is right when we cut to black. With the previousGladiatorshowing Maximus in the afterlife, and Lucius regularly visiting another plane of existence inGladiator II, this could potentially be setting up the return of Russell Crowe for a potential third installment.
Ridley Scott has indeed confirmed that he is already working on a third script, though he is waiting to see the reception this film gets, as he told Premiere and reported byVariety. Scott hinted this was a job that Mescal’s Lucius, similar in his opinion to the ending ofThe Godfather Part II, never really wanted, and would therefore need guidance in order to accomplish it. However, even if we never get anotherGladiator,at least we can hold onto the hope that Lucius is still alive to push towards the dream of Rome, rather than relying on others to accomplish it after his death.
Gladiator IIis currently playing in theaters.
Gladiator II
Lucius Verus, the son of Maximus’s beloved Lucilla, returns to Rome after years in the wilderness. Captured by Roman forces led by General Marcus Acacius, he is thrust into the gladiatorial arena. As he battles for survival, he encounters Macrinus, a former slave-turned-merchant, and faces the corrupt twin emperors Caracalla and Geta.
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