Gladiator 2: Release date, plot, trailer news and updates

The original Gladiator was a massive hit at the box office, grossing $457 million worldwide receiving nominations for 11 Oscars, winning for Best Picture and Best Actor (Crowe).

The first movie followed Maximus (Crowe), a legatus who was forced to become a slave after he was betrayed by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), a power-crazed emperor behind the deaths of Maximus’s wife and child.

Fuelled by rage and grief, Maximum rose through the Colosseum’s gladiatorial contests, before emerging victorious against Commodus in a duel but succumbing to his injuries.

Now we have our first look at the new film which also stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and sees the return of Connie Nielsen as Commodus's sister Lucilla.

Sir Ridley Scott returns to direct the new film which will arrive later this year.

But when can we expect the film and what is Gladiator 2 about? Read on for everything you need to know.

Gladiator 2 release date

Gladiator 2 will be released in cinemas on 15th November 2024 in the UK.

Filming began on the sequel in May 2023 and wrapped in January 2024. Filming took place in Morocco, Malta and the United Kingdom.

Due to the SAG-AFRA strike, filming was suspended from July 2023 until December 2023 when filming resumed.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show in January 2024, Paul Mescal said: "I finished filming yesterday and survived. It’s done. I am not allowed to say anything, but it will be out at thanksgiving this year."

What is the plot of Gladiator 2?

The film follows Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) in adulthood after he was sent to live in Numidia by his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) following the end of the last film and he crafts a new life there with a wife and child.

However, the Roman Empire encroaches on his life in the form of an army led by Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) which decimates Numidia and sees Lucius brought back to Rome as a prisoner of war and forced into the gladiatorial arena where he recognises his mother in the royal box - and she thought he was dead.

The epic cast of Gladiator 2 also stars Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Sir Derek Jacobi.

What is the history behind Gladiator 2?

As with the first film, Gladiator 2 is already a highly fictionalised version of history as the real Lucius Verus died as a child and his mother Lucilla was killed by her monstrous brother Commodus for plotting his assassination.

History may shine a light on some plot, however, as co-emperors and brothers Caracalla and Geta did not have a pleasant relationship.

The pair initially ruled alongside their father, Emperor Septimus Severus, who hoped that upon his death they would continue to rule side-by-side.

However, the brothers proved incapable of sharing their rule and even considered splitting the Roman Empire between them but this was prevented by their influential mother, Julia Domna.

In the end, their feud proved too great and Caracalla had Geta murdered while attending a peace meeting with their mother and the younger brother died in their mother's arms.

Following this Caracalla had 20,000 men and women either murdered or proscribed for being the followers of Geta.

The tyrant Caracalla would rule for a further six years and campaigned away from Rome with military disasters. Eventually, Caracalla was murdered by one of his soldiers in what is now modern-day Turkey.

In the aftermath, Caracalla's mother Julia Domna ended her own life.

Is there a trailer for the Gladiator sequel?

The trailer was released on Tuesday 9th July 2024.

Catch the video above which shows the characters off in all their glory.

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