GLADIATOR II is a 2024 epic historical drama film directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), the film was written by David Scarpa. It was produced by Scott Free Productions in association with Red Wagon Entertainment for Paramount Pictures.
Several decades after the events of Gladiator (2000), Lucius—the grandson of Rome's former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla—lives with his wife and child in Numidia. Roman soldiers led by general Marcus Acacius invade, forcing Lucius into slavery. Inspired by the story of Maximus, as depicted in the original 2000 film, Lucius resolves to fight as a gladiator while opposing the rule of the young emperors Caracalla and Geta.
The cast includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger.
GLADIATOR II made its debut in theaters November 22nd, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Even though the original GLADIATOR came out 24 years ago, somehow the movie hasn’t aged a day when it comes to top-tier cinema. I gave it a re-watch recently and the technical elements alone are just on another level. That movie is simply an all-time classic right up there with Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, and it was part of why I fell in love with movies at such a young age. When they first announced GLADIATOR II I had to do a double take, surely they weren’t attempting to follow-up such an amazing film.
Once I confirmed that was in fact the case, I was honestly nervous about watching the trailer. I just didn’t think they would be able to pull it off. Long story short the trailer intrigued me and I knew I would be planted in front of the big screen on opening day. So, was it worth it or did Hollywood fail yet again at attempting to re-create the magic of a classic film? Keep reading to find out!
GLADIATOR II was absolutely fantastic and was honestly as good as I could have hoped a sequel would be. The original took my breath away with the overall scale, beautiful cinematography, and incredible acting, and all of the above was back yet again for the sequel film. The opening scene transported me back to the formidable days of the Roman Empire, and you surely don’t have to wait long for the films first massive battle.
Everything just looked and sounded absolutely amazing, and I was on the edge-of-my-seat for the entire two and a half hours. I seriously didn’t want the movie to end, but what had me most excited was how well it connected to the original film. GLADIATOR II was created with the same heart and soul of the original, and that alone put it on another level. This is must-see cinema, simple as that.
The seamless transition for the screenplay from the first film really stood out to me, and I loved all of the little nuances that connected the two as well. You really need to re-watch the original to truly appreciate all of the amazing things they did, but even if you don’t have time going back and watching it after seeing GLADIATOR II will have a similar effect. This film is heart beating out of your chest exciting, but it also perfectly captures the emotional element that made the original film so great.
You will genuinely care for these characters right from the start, and once you start understanding the connection to the original, you will be totally invested. I really liked how they hinted at certain things but it took some time for you to really understand everything. I just thought they did a fantastic job bringing it all together. Plus who doesn’t love a story about good versus evil where literally the fate of the world hangs in the balance?! GLADIATIOR and GLADIATOR II will forever be joined as one in cinema history, and that is exactly how it should be.
A big selling point for the original GLADIATOR was the cast of course, and they did not cut corners with the sequel. Connie Nielsen returns but new cast members include Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger. It was a bit weird seeing Hechinger in this role after just watching him in Thelma (our full review here), which is a testament to just how good he was. The entire cast was amazing, but my two favorite performances belonged to Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal.
Both played such complex and intriguing characters which made it so much more enjoyable as you learned more about what they stood for and ultimately what their allegiances were. They didn’t share a ton of time on-screen together, but the time they did have was excellent thanks to such natural chemistry. Although some will argue they were a bit over-the-top and somewhat goofy at times, I was personally impressed with Quinn and Hechinger as the films primary antagonists. Denzel Washington was amazing as well which I’m sure surprises literally nobody.
I have to touch on the technical elements because GLADIATOR II was incredible in that department. First and foremost, if you don’t see this movie in the theater on the biggest screen possible you are doing yourself a massive disservice. The entire film is just a clinic from a technical perspective, and the escape a cinematic experience like this provides is really unlike anything else.
Whether you come for the massive scale, the intense action, the incredible sound, the jaw-dropping costume and set design, or the cinematography that is sure to leave you speechless, GLADIATOR II has something for everyone. I was constantly just in awe of what I was experiencing, and to be honest I was tempted to just stand up and clap. GLADIATOR II is why we go to the movie theater in the first place, simple as that.
THE VERDICT
A massively immersive cinematic triumph that does the original justice in every conceivable way, GLADIATOR II is incredibly entertaining and absolutely demands to be seen in the theater. Director Ridley Scott has yet again crafted another gem of a film that audiences will be enjoying for years to come. Do yourself a favor and see GLADIATOR II on the biggest screen possible as soon as you can, you can thank me later.
TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10
GLADIATOR II is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.