If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Russell Crowe's character looms heavily over the Gladiator II trailer
No, there's no new footage of Maximus Decimus Meridius in the trailer for Ridley Scott's follow-up to Gladiator. But his character is remembered well
Popverse's top stories of the day
- How Disney+'s What If...? is the moonshot for the next 50 years of Marvel Studios & the MCU
- Watch: Dune: Prophecy's Desmond Hart explained: His secret identity, his past, and his possible future [SPOILERS]
- Dune: Prophecy's Desmond Hart explained: His secret identity, his past, and his possible future [SPOILERS]
Years ago, there were rumors of a Gladiator II script in which Russell Crowe's character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, would return from the dead. Well, the Gladiator II trailer is out now, and though Maximus' ghost is nowhere to be seen, his memory is all over the place. Watch it for yourself here.
The theme of 'Gladiator taking on tyrants' is already a pretty decent callback to the first Ridley Scott-directed Roman historical drama, but Maximus's legacy is directly referenced throughout the film. Paul Mescal's character Lucius appears to have witnessed Maximus in action, partly inspiring him to be the rage-villed avenger we meet in the trailer. Then there's returning character Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen, who's acting as torch-passer between Maximus and Lucius, providing the latter with the former's ring, armor, and even some spirit.
All that said, the challenges facing Lucius are not quite the same as the ones Maximus took on. Pedro Pascal's Marcus Acacius is a very different foil, for example, a beloved general with reservations about hoow the Roman Empire is treating its people but with a fierce loyalty to that Empire nonetheless (contrast that with Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus, who's loyalty was to, well, himself). And, even though he acts as Lucius's friend in the trailer, Denzel Washington's Macrinus appears to have his own agenda - one in which a warrior like Lucius is both useful and expendable. All in all, the biggest similarity between Lucius and Maximus, by the end of this film, may be their tragic end.
Then again, who knows? Maybe Maximus's ghost will show up and help after all.
Gladiator II charges into theaters November 22.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
And if you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we've also got lists for the:
Finally, if you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.