Gladiator 2 could solve 2024’s biggest movie villain problem

Do not be distracted by the shark-infested waters and rhino-riding rockstar warrior – the true stars of the Gladiator 2 trailer are the sinister siblings that might just provide the one thing 2024’s movies have been missing.

Yes, although there’s a good reason to buy a ticket to Gladiator 2 (two good reasons, actually: Paul Mescal’s right arm and Paul Mescal’s left arm), the new movie might just offer up a little more than some sandy eye candy. 

From the get-go, when the wave of first images were released and set social media on fire, many noted the absolutely bizarre appearance of Joseph Quinn’s Emperor Geta. With bright orange hair and a ghostly white face, he was a sight to see. The insane first trailer gave an even closer look at him and his on-screen brother (and co-emperor) Fred Hechinger’s Caracalla. 

The three-minute trailer allows the bad-time bros to revel in their theatrics, giggling at every violent turn with sheer, unfiltered glee. It’s an unsubtle, over-the-top villainy that we haven’t seen in a long time, which is exactly why it might just kick 2024 out of its movie villain slump.

Where are the villains at?

When you look across the highest-grossing movies of 2024 so far, there’s a slight problem when it comes to the villains: there aren’t any. Inside Out 2 is currently at the top of the leaderboard, a light-hearted fare in which the only real foe is Riley’s own anxiety – and even then, that’s debatable. 

Other heavy hitters include Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Kung Fu Panda 4, where the villains aren’t so much villains as they are minor threats and inconveniences that are dealt with pretty efficiently. 

Of course, it doesn’t help that the majority of 2024’s hits are animated movies or children’s films. Even in the year’s biggest horror movie, A Quiet Place: Day One, the alien beasts are A) familiar, on account of their franchise status, and B) more entities than memorable figures with motivations that serve as a threat.

There is, however, one notable exception. 

Dune 2 and Furiosa proved baddies could be weird again

Very quickly, the biggest appeal of Dune 2 proved to be Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a pale-faced, black-teethed baldy who was genuinely terrifying. His thirst for blood and abilities in combat proved him as a danger, but his unpredictable nature and operatic ways made him one of the most memorable parts of the sequel.

He bore his teeth and growled freely, occasionally stopping to laugh whenever he felt like it. Yes, he might have been a master fighter, but the scariest thing about him was his ability to keep audiences (and Paul Atreides) on their toes.

Warner Bros. Pictures

One other villain that stood out this year is Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, played by Chris Hemsworth. He’s big, he’s brutal, and he loves a good shout. 

At times, he verges on the silly side more than most might dare to venture, but he’s still teeters on the verge of madness just enough to make you think he might snap and break every neck in the Wasteland at any moment. Unfortunately, because Furiosa didn’t break the bank at the box office, Hemsworth’s riveting performance isn’t as lauded as Butler’s. 

What both fictional sickos proved was that villains could still be little oddballs. These types of characters were in abundance during the ‘80s and ‘90s, particularly in big action movies of the time. Villains were allowed to be weird and dramatic, and their ability to be scary never suffered because of it. 

This even trickled into the original Gladiator, in which Joaquin Phoenix played Commodus, a fictionalized take of the very real Emperor. Phoenix might have taken the role seriously, and Gladiator was certainly more of a heavy-hitting drama than its upcoming sequel looks to be, but he was still a freaky little dude who loved violence a little too much.

Gladiator 2 has major villain potential

From the looks of things, Gladiator 2 is set to have multiple antagonists to Paul Mescal’s Lucius, including Pedro Pascal’s Marcus and Denzel Washington’s Macrinus. But nobody stands out in the trailer more than Quinn and Hechinger.

Their pale white faces and dusty red eyes give them a frightening and bizarre look, and the fact that they’re a dynamic duo makes their potential villainy all the more interesting. 

Paramount Pictures

Their intentions are unclear for now, and it’s possible that they could serve as more passive foes in the grand scheme of things, but there’s reason to be optimistic.

If their duel-emperorship has an impact on the story, and their giggly, over-enthusiastic tease in the trailer is a sign of more to come, then audiences might be in for a real treat.

And, if they make an impact, they could also be a sign of very, very good things to come for the rest of 2024’s on-screen schemers, killers, and dictators. 

For more, check out our guide to all the new movies to watch on streaming now. We’ve also got a breakdown of all the best movies of 2024 so far, as well as the lowdown on Joseph Quinn’s other new movie with our A Quiet Place: Day One review.