Is Russell Crowe in Gladiator 2?

Are you not entertained? After the release of a sequel that’s been 24 years in the making, you will be. But is Russell Crowe going to be in Gladiator 2?

Sure, Gladiator 2 isn’t going to be the most historically accurate piece of cinema. But who actually cares? (Spoiler: you shouldn’t). It’s the cinematic event of the year, and we’re already seated.

For many long-time fans, Gladiator always has been and always will be synonymous with Russell Crowe. The movie marked one of the crowning moments in his career, with Crowe’s performance a key reason why it’s considered one of the best movies of all time.

So surely we can’t move forward without him… can we? He’s the full rundown on whether Russell Crowe will indeed be in Gladiator 2. Warning: some spoilers ahead!

Is Russell Crowe in Gladiator 2?

No – Russell Crowe officially isn’t returning for Gladiator 2. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as his character Maximus died at the end of the first film.

Universal Pictures

You’ll likely remember Maximus’ epic duel with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) at the end of the first movie, with Crowe’s character bleeding out from a wound he got before it officially started.

To give Commodus an unfair advantage, Maximus was stabbed before the duel began. However, Maximus concealed a knife in his armor, stabbing him in the throat before he succumbed to his injuries.

It all gets very sad after this, with Maximus honored as “a soldier of Rome” while Lucilla ensures Lucius (sound familiar?) is out of harm’s way.

As much as we might want him to make a return, suddenly resurrecting Maximus 24 years after he died in front of our eyes would be an idiot move. In any way, he’d probably be in bad shape if he made it out of the Colosseum alive… and what good does that make him to the new movie?

We’ve been unsure for many years if Gladiator 2 would actually happen – and now that it has, it’s probably best that Maximus is kept on the sidelines.

When the film was first announced, rumors cropped up surrounding Gladiator 2 being a prequel, continuing Maximus’ story of being a Roman general. Obviously this didn’t happen… but with Ridley Scott “toying” with the idea of a third movie, who knows what could happen?

What have Russell and Ridley Scott said?

While Russell Crowe has stated he’s “uncomfortable” with the idea of a sequel, Ridley confirmed Crowe wasn’t consulted on the new story.

Universal Pictures

“I’m slightly uncomfortable with the fact they’re making another one because, of course, I’m dead and I have no say in what gets done,” Crowe told Kyle Meredith in an interview.

“But a couple of the things I’ve heard I’m like: ‘No, no, no, that’s not in the moral journey of that particular character.’ But I can’t say anything, it’s not my place, I’m six foot under. So we’ll see what that is like.”

He added: “I reflect back: the age I was when I made that film and all the things that came after it, the doors that particular movie opened for me.

“This is just me being purely honest: there’s definitely a tinge of melancholy, a tinge of jealousy. I remember when I had tendons.”

Ridley Scott later added to Empire, “I think [Crowe is] still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship.

“I hope we do. As long as he doesn’t start bitching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!”

Is Maximus still incorporated into the sequel?

Yes. Fans will see him in a series of flashbacks using footage from the first film, alongside an ominous closing shot of a hand running through a golden wheat field – potentially signifying his peace in the afterlife.

Paramount Pictures

We’re picking up the action with Maximus’ son Lucius, 20 years after he watched his own dad be killed. It’s safe to say the guy has a chip on his shoulder, with the result meaning Rome needs dismantling from the top down.

There cannot be a sequel without its original movie, meaning the events of the OG Gladiator feed heavily into the new movie’s plot.

Ridley’s opted for the classic flashback method, with scenes from the first movie sprinkled throughout the new plot. Alongside being given his ring by Lucilla (you see that in the trailer), Lucius wears Maximus’ iconic armor for the sequel’s final battle scene.

Though it’s not confirmed, Maximus’ peace in the afterlife could be interpreted through Gladiator 2’s final shot. Remember Nick Cave’s vision of him and his wife running through fields of wheat? This has an extremely similar vibe.

I should stress – it’s definitely not Russell Crowe’s hand, regardless of what the scene means.

Of course, Lucius and Maximus have already spent time together. In the first movie, we’re introduced to Lucius as nothing more than Commodus’ nephew – officially, he’s the son of Lucilla’s late husband Lucius Verus.

He idolizes Maximus nonetheless, frequently asking him questions as he heads into the Colosseum to battle soldiers like Tigris of Gaul. Just as a bond is built between the two, surprise! Maximus is Lucius’ father after all. He and Lucilla were having an affair while she was married, with it heavily implied that they remain romantically entangled.

What about Joaquin Phoenix?

Joaquin Phoenix also won’t be returning as Commodus. As we’ve explained, Maximus killed him with a stab wound to the throat.

Universal Pictures

He’s left us with a precedent for disaster though. Now that he’s dead, Rome doesn’t exactly just fall into the right hands of power.

If we go by the real-life Roman timeline, Commodus’ death left Rome in the Year of the Emperors in 193 AD. As you might guess, five different people tried to assert their imperial authority, with Septimus Severus winning out. He left the throne to his two children, Geta and Caracalla – who are our antagonists in Gladiator 2.

Phoenix’s influence is likely to be felt throughout, though. Playing Geta, Joseph Quinn told Empire “For obvious reasons, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was something that was in our minds. It was something we had a reverence for, but we didn’t want to…. soil with some kind of poor rendition.”

Gladiator 2 comes to cinemas on November 15 in the UK and November 22 in the US. Catch up with the original movie’s ending explained, Gladiator 2’s first reactions, and the 5 most explicit scenes in Napoleon.