Summary
Paul Mescal’s Lucius was set to be emperor in the originalGladiator, but inGladiator II, he’ll be forced to fight in the Colosseum, and a cut line from the first movie explains why.Paul Mescal will play Lucius inGladiator II, but the upcoming sequel won’t be the character’s first appearance. Lucius was also in the originalGladiator, though he was still a child played by Spencer Treat Clark. Since Lucius is an adult inGladiator II, the sequel will have to explainwhat happened to Lucius afterGladiator.
While many ofGladiator II’s story details have already been revealed, there are still several mysteries left unanswered. It’s still not clear if Lucius was Maximus' son, for example, andDenzel Washington’sGladiator IIcharacterhas very few confirmed details. One of those mysteries, however, may have already been answered over 20 years ago. An early draft of the originalGladiator’s script may explain one of the most important parts ofGladiator II’s story months before the movie comes out in November.
Gladiator 2: Everything You Need To Know
More than 20 years after the original Gladiator, the sequel arrived in 2024. Here is everything you need to know about Gladiator 2.
Lucilla Sent Lucius Away Before Gladiator 2 (But Lucius Didn’t Understand Why)
A few parts of Lucius' role inGladiator II’s story have already been confirmed thanks to somebig reveals fromGladiator II’s first look images.Those details revealed that after the originalGladiator, Lucius' mother, Lucilla, sent him away from Rome to a region of Northern Africa, but Lucius never understood why. It seems Lucilla’s decision will be a massive plot point inGladiator II: Lucius will return to Rome as a gladiator, and he’ll have to face his mother again. Their reunion will certainly be a dramatic moment, but an early script forGladiatormay have already taken some of its mystery away.
An Early Draft Of Gladiator’s Script Already Explained Why Lucilla Sent Lucius Away
Gladiator IIwill almost certainly reveal why Lucilla sent him away, but an early draft ofGladiator’s script may have already explained her reasoning. The second draft ofGladiator’s script, written by David Franzoni, included a scene where Lucilla told Maximus what she planned to do after Commodus' death (viaIMSDb).
“My son will live. He will survive this cursed bloodline. Rome will die, and the jackals will pick her clean – but my son will survive. Empires come and go. Cities crumble to dust. Only family matters.”
That version of the script also had Lucilla go on to explain that she never wanted Lucius to be Emperor, and that she wanted to take him with her and “leave this charnel house forever and never look back.“This cut line fromGladiator’s script perfectly explained why Lucilla would send Lucius away: she felt Rome was set to collapse, and she wanted to keep her son safe when it fell. Though Lucilla seems to have had noble intentions when she sent Lucius away, her actions could very well become the most tragic part ofGladiator II.
Lucilla’s Reason For Sending Lucius Away Continues A Gladiator Trend
Though Lucilla was right about the fall of Rome, her decision to send Lucius to Northern Africa still continues one ofGladiator’s most tragic trends.The originalGladiatorexplored quite a few themes, from revenge to survival, but one of its most important themes may also apply toGladiator II. In the originalGladiator, Commodus sentenced Maximus to death, but it was exactly that decision that ultimately cost him his own life, as Maximus eventually killed Commodus atthe end ofGladiator. A major part of Commodus' story was that he tried to avoid destiny, and the decision he made to do so was the same one that sealed his fate.
Gladiator IIseems set to use that same theme again, and Lucilla seems to be its focus. Lucius will return to Rome afterPedro Pascal’s General Acaciuscaptures and enslaves him in Northern Africa. That meansLucius would never have become a gladiator if Lucilla hadn’t sent him away, and her efforts to protect her son put him in more danger than ever before. Lucilla did likely save Lucius' life for a short time, as he would have been a major target if he remained in Rome, but the ironic twist of fate still echoes Commodus' attempts to beat destiny.
Gladiator
Cast
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
Lucilla’s actions may even apply toGladiator’s focus on the unavoidable nature of fate even more deeply. Before he died, Maximus urged Rome to fix its corruption and reinstate the Roman Republic.Gladiator II’s story details, however, revealed that Rome did not listen, and the Emperors that ruled in Lucius' absence brought even more decay to the once strong empire.If Lucius had been present, though his life would have been in danger, he may have been able to restore the Roman Republic. Lucilla’s decision, however, doomed Rome to decline even further.
While the early script ofGladiatorexplains Lucilla’s reasoning for sending Lucius away, a major part ofGladiator IIremains a mystery. Lucilla’s cut line revealed that she planned to take Lucius with her, but in reality, she sent Lucius away on his own. It’s still not clear why she would change her plan so drastically and send her only son - and main motivation fromGladiator- away. She must have had a very compelling, and likely dangerous, reason to do it. Even though Lucilla’s reason for sending Lucius away seems to have been explained,Gladiator IIwill still have a very meaty mystery to explore.
Gladiator II
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
