Gladiator II (opens Nov. 22, 2024)

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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.

 

[dondiegomasked]

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.

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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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

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.

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.

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.