Gladiator It’s on my list of the best movies I’ve ever seen. And I still watch it, 24 years after its release. The Academy also gave up on Ridley Scott’s epic, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe.
Hence all the expectations generated by the sequel to the classic, of which the first trailer was released in recent weeks. Anyone who knows the original already knows the settings and the story. The faces, however, are almost all different.
The new film is set 25 years after the end of the first film. GladiatorThe plot revolves around Lucius (Paul Mescal), who in the original was just a child, nephew of the then Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix.
Lucius, now an adult, lives a quiet life with his family far from Rome. When the Empire destroys his new home, he returns to his mother’s land and is forced to become a gladiator. I won’t go into too much of the story, since There is another text on this very subject.
Neither Phoenix nor Russell Crowe and his Maximus return, for obvious reasons, for the sequel. In their place, Ridley Scott (who returns) has chosen a strong cast, which we show below.
Who’s Who in the New Gladiator
Let’s start with the protagonist, who we’ve already talked about a little. It’s worth remembering that Lucius was a big fan of General Maximus (Crowe) in the first film. Eventually, he will end up following in the hero’s footsteps.
In the 2000 film, Lucius was played by Spencer Treat Clark (Unbreakable), who was not called for the sequel. In his place was chosen the young star Paul Mescal, nominated for an Oscar for Aftersun (2022).
The new trailer also highlights the protagonist Pedro Pascal. He plays Marcus Acacio, who seems to be the main antagonist of the story.
But he is not a member of the royal family, as Joaquin Phoenix’s villain Commodus was in the original. Marcus Acacius is a military man, a right-hand man to the new emperors and Lucius’ stepfather!
Well, to complicate matters even further, he ended up marrying the hero’s mother, Lucilla, played once again by Connie Nielsen.
Well, since I mentioned her, Connie Nielsen is the only actress from the original who returns in her role for the sequel – at least among those who appear in the trailer.
Lucilla was the lover of General Maximus (Crowe) and helped the original gladiator overthrow her brother, Commodus (Phoenix), from the throne.
Mother of the new protagonist Lucius, she will be one of the most important links between the two stories – even more so because she married the new antagonist.
Anyone who has seen the trailer knows that Denzel Washington is supposed to have a major role in the film. His Macrinus is a major merchant who aims to overthrow the rulers and take power in Rome. To do this he must use the protagonist Lucius as a puppet.
Macrinus helps finance the arena fights and has his own warriors. Lucius will be one of them.
If in the original the emperor was played by Joaquin Phoenix, in the sequel we will have two emperors. Geta and Caracalla are brothers and, from the trailer, we see that they have a sadistic, cruel and sick side.
Fred Hechinger is known for titles such as HBO’s The White Lotus, in which he starred in the first season, in 2021. Quinn is one of Hollywood’s new darlings.
He rose to fame as his charismatic Eddie in Stranger Things (2022) and will star in two major films in the coming months: he will star in A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) and will also be the Human Torch in the new Fantastic Four (2025).
Date of the premiere
Gladiator 2 will be released in theaters worldwide on November 15, 2024. In Brazil, the Ancient Roman epic arrives one day earlier, on November 14, a Thursday.
Directed by Ridley Scott. The screenwriter is David Scarpa (Napoleão).
And since we’re talking about the characters a lot, it’s worth rewatching the first trailer for the new attraction. See you in theaters in November!
The post “Gladiator 2”: Find Out Who’s Who in the New Film appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
