GLADIATOR SEQUEL | RIDLEY SCOTT / PARAMOUNT

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Scott: Should we research if people really rode Rhinos into battle?

Hollywood Historical Consultant: Found what we were looking for! 🤓
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Scott: That's good enough for me!
 
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Mondragon said:
Scott: Should we research if people really rode Rhinos into battle?
Historical Consultant: Found it! 🤓
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Scott: That's good enough for me!
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As long as this kind of thing gets skipped, I'm good with some CGI rhinos. It didn't slow down Black Panther. Rap music in a historical drama might cause me to hurl the popcorn tho. :monkey3 :stake

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/purging-the-myth-of-the-vomitorium/
Classically trained poets and writers at the time would have been exposed to a few sources that painted ancient Romans as just the sort of people who would vomit just to eat more. One source was Seneca, the Stoic who lived from 4 B.C. to A.D. 65 and who gave the impression that Romans were an emetic bunch. In one passage, he wrote of slaves cleaning up the vomit of drunks at banquets, and in his Letter to Helvia, he summarized the vomitorium idea succinctly but metaphorically, referring to what he saw as the excesses of Rome: "They vomit so they may eat, and eat so that they may vomit."
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seriously why are they making a rap album for this movie 😂. Cause Denzel is in it? Wow
 
(Edit: I searched for this movie and didn’t find it under its title so I started a thread of my own, thanks to the moderator for merging it with this thread!)

According to the early critic screenings this film just might be a banger! I take those critic blurb reactions with a grain of salt, but I’m crossing my fingers that it actually is a really good film. Here’s hoping! I went ahead and bought advanced tickets for me and wife to see it in IMAX.

It stars Paul Mescal (who I’ve never seen in anything), Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen.

I would imagine this story takes place in the aftermath of the reign of Commodus.

The original Gladiator is so damned good!
 
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Just from what little I’ve read so far, like Kingdom of Heaven there are huge departures from real world history. This is basically the story of Maximus’ son Lucius Verus. Sort of an MCU “What If”-like treatment, i.e., alternative history fantasy.
 
Alatar said:
Just from what little I’ve read so far, like Kingdom of Heaven there are huge departures from real world history. This is basically the story of Maximus’ son Lucius Verus. Sort of an MCU “What If”-like treatment, i.e., alternative history fantasy.
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I don’t think so.

This is a _direct_ sequel, not a reboot or alt history reimagining.

It is the story of Lucius, who is Commodus’ nephew, not Maximus’ son. Connie Nielson reprises her role from the original film as Commodus’ sister and Lucius’ mother.

I think.

Haven’t seen it yet but am making plans!

Z
 

‘Gladiator II’ First Reactions Call Ridley Scott’s Sequel “Unhinged,” “Deliciously Cinematic And Machiavellian”: “Can’t Believe Ridley Pulled This Off”​

https://deadline.com/2024/10/gladia...iciously-cinematic-machiavellian-1236121555/#
...just about everyone who’s seen Gladiator II is taking to social media in praise of Ridley Scott‘s highly-anticipated sequel.
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Well at least according to some:
It’s largely uneven & lacks the emotional punch of the first film,”
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I'm guessing reviewers will be meaninglessly throwing around the word "Epic" to describe the spectacle, yet not surprised, if the emotional punch, what sold the original (at least for me) what made it worth while, will be lacking.
While it had plenty of battle spectacle, it was also about an honorable character, love for family, loyalty, betrayal and revenge. Ultimately a man just looking for any way out of the arena of endless war and killing. And a perfect end.

Might still give this a chance, as I'll likely enjoy the overblown, shallow $pectacle ( bring on the sharks, battle-rhinos and war-monkeys :lol)! As predicted I'm fine going in knowing not to anticipate much more than that, with little to none of the emotional impact of the original.
 
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It's a Ridley Scott historical(ish) epic. Will be watching on that basis alone, but I don't expect it to compete with the original or Kingdom of Heaven.
 
Rotfish said:
It's a Ridley Scott historical(ish) epic. Will be watching on that basis alone, but I don't expect it to compete with the original or Kingdom of Heaven.
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Yeah. Suspect I will put it in the Romulus category. Enjoyable, many well done aspects, probably too much rehash, but on the better side of sequels and definitely worth a movie ticket.

Not the worst thing, to be able to kick back in a premium theater and just enjoy. I already think of what looks like psycho twins ruling will get the GOT Joffrey treatment and get shot in the eye or have their heads chopped off or get fed to a tiger which sounds fun.
 
dondiegomasked said:
I don’t think so.

This is a _direct_ sequel, not a reboot or alt history reimagining.

It is the story of Lucius, who is Commodus’ nephew, not Maximus’ son. Connie Nielson reprises her role from the original film as Commodus’ sister and Lucius’ mother.

I think.

Haven’t seen it yet but am making plans!

Z
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It’s shown in the trailer that Lucius Verus’ mother is Lucilla who was Commodus’ wife, but Lucius is actually Maximus’ son. She tells him that. She had an affair with Maximus.



I’m being just a little glib by calling it “alternative history” but I’m going from what real world history says about the various characters in the story. There are a lot of historical inaccuracies that I noticed when I stared reading up on the main characters such as Lucius Verus, Lucilla, and Macrinus.

Out of curiosity I asked ChatGPT what some of the historical inaccuracies are and it gave these answers:

In Gladiator II, the character of Lucius Verus is highly fictionalized compared to the life of the historical Lucius Verus II. In the movie, Lucius is depicted as reaching adulthood, undergoing personal trials, and eventually training as a gladiator to seek revenge, a storyline that diverges drastically from the real Lucius’s life. Historically, Lucius Verus II, the son of Lucilla (and likely the grandson of Marcus Aurelius), died young, likely before he could reach adulthood, and definitely before Commodus’s rule. Thus, he would never have had the opportunity for the gladiatorial heroics or political vengeance portrayed in the film .

In addition, Gladiator II adds a fictionalized layer in which Lucius, influenced by Maximus’s legacy, takes up a personal vendetta against Rome. He’s shown enduring enslavement, fighting as a gladiator, and challenging Roman rulers—none of which align with any documented actions by the historical Lucius Verus II. His mother, Lucilla, also plays a much larger role in the film than historically plausible, as she was executed by Commodus after a failed coup, thus severing her involvement in Lucius’s life long before he could have pursued any vengeful mission .

This reimagining allows Gladiator II to focus on an emotionally complex storyline with themes of legacy, vengeance, and power dynamics within the Roman Empire, but it does so with considerable creative liberties taken from the actual events and lives of Lucius and his family.
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In Gladiator II, the character of Lucilla is significantly fictionalized compared to historical records. In real life, Lucilla was indeed the daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and sister to Commodus, and she played a prominent role in Roman society as Augusta (Empress) after marrying Lucius Verus. However, her depiction in the films as romantically entangled with Maximus and as a central conspirator against Commodus is largely a creation of the storyline. Historically, Lucilla did conspire against Commodus out of concern for her family’s safety and her desire to protect Rome from her brother’s increasingly erratic rule. Yet, her plot was discovered, and she was eventually executed for her role in this failed conspiracy.

The films also portray Lucilla as having an ongoing connection to political and military affairs long after Commodus’s reign, especially through her son, Lucius. In reality, after her marriage, Lucilla’s influence waned considerably, and her life ended in her early 30s following her execution. By extending her story, the films deepen the dramatic tension but do so with substantial deviation from history.
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In Gladiator II, Denzel Washington’s character, Macrinus, is only loosely based on the historical Macrinus. The film reimagines him as a wealthy arms dealer and influential power player who manages gladiators and supplies resources to Rome’s military. This fictional Macrinus wields significant political sway, forming a relationship with Lucius Verus to exploit his potential for vengeance. Historically, however, Macrinus was a praetorian prefect who conspired to assassinate Emperor Caracalla, ultimately seizing power as emperor—a complex political figure, rather than the gladiator-affiliated tycoon portrayed in the movie.
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Well at least no cringe rap this time, trailer sold it better for me.
The quoting the original film, always inadvertently has the fourth-wall effect and takes me out of it, where I'm instead picturing him watching the first movie.

Mondragon said:
https://deadline.com/2024/04/gladiator-2-first-look-paramount-cinemacon-1235882043/
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"Says Paul Mescal’s son of Russell Crowe’s late Maximus in a VoiceOver, ..."
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I honestly can't make sense of that sentence? :google Though seems to confirm it in the next.
Lucius Verus was Maximus' son.
Seemed obvious, yet is that the first outright confirmation of it?
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Yeah, for better or worse, leaves no doubt, Maximus was the father, she outright confirms it.

Also, still no indication of Djimon Hounsou's character Juba, was hoping to see he survived and made it home to Numidia.
Can't be a coincidence that's (near the outskirts) where Lucilla sent Lucius her son to "hide", though I imagine it's how Lucius ends up inadvertently captured and in the arena.

Intense she is asking Pascal (Marcus Acacius) who she is with, to help her son, yet they are pitted against each other in the arena. Interesting conflict.
Though I think Maximus put it best in the original, when she asks "Do you think me heartless?" he replies: "I think you have a talent for survival".
Which she in fact does.
 
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Alatar said:
Lucilla who was Commodus’ wife,
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Nah, Lucilla was Commodus' sister not wife. They are both the children Marcus Aurelius.
Yes things got creepy (and did back then), Commodus exerts insane power and threats over his sister (and her son), but they are not depicted as being married (and were not in real life).

And yeah Scott makes no real pretense of historical accuracy, beyond loosely borrowing names and situations to stage his sensational drama, that was already made clear in the first one. So nobody is (or should be) looking for historical accuracy here either, why would you? :lol
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Mondragon said:
Nah, Lucilla was Commodus' sister not wife. They are both the children Marcus Aurelius.
Yes things got creepy (and did back then), Commodus exerts insane power and threats over his sister (and her son), but they are not depicted as being married (and were not in real life).
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Ah right. I was thinking of the way Egyptian dynasties often worked. There is at least one scene I can recall in Gladiator that shows Commodus seeking an incestuous relationship with Lucilla, and I think I extrapolated from that, incorrectly.

In real life Lucilla was Commodus‘ sister and she first married Lucius Verus, brother of emperor Marcus Aurelius and co-emperor with Marcus. Lucius and Lucilla’s son was also named Lucius Verus about whom in real life little is known except that he died as a child or teen. (That’s the protagonist of Gladiator II.) Lucilla later married a prominent Roman general, Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus. She was executed by Commodus for plotting to assassinate him.

In real life Commodus was not killed by Maximus. He was assassinated, although not by Lucilla who as was just noted did plot to have him killed for which Commodus had her put to death.

In Gladiator II Lucilla will apparently be unmarried. I’ll be curious to see if Ridley Scott has her plotting to kill either of the co-emperors at that time, Caracalla or Geta.

So it’s in this sense that I say that Scott is again doing a kind of “alternative history” take as he did with Kingdom of Heaven. There’s lots of historical inaccuracies with that film as well.
 
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