Gladiator II - Are We Still Entertained?

How Screenwriter David Scarpa Tackled The Long-Awaited Sequel

Gladiator first hit the screens in 2000 based on characters by David Franzoni and directed by Ridley Scott. It stars Russell Crowe in his career-defining role as Maximus, the former emperor now reduced to a slave fighting for his life in brutal combat tournaments.

Its global box office haul is around $465 million, so a sequel was inevitable. It’s just that nobody thought it would take 24 years. So here we are.

Gladiator II amassed an impressive $87 million in its opening weekend.

The challenge in creating a sequel was to allow Gladiator to bask in its cinematic glory, while granting Gladiator II space to forge its own spot in the cinematic sun.

Gladiator II is set 15 years after the death of Maximus and follows the exploits of his son Lucius played by Paul Mescal. (Note the resemblance to his father). This creates a bridge between the two films and opens up more future story possibilities.

Adorned with even more numbing colosseum combat scenes, Lucius finds his way in the world, protecting the citizens of the homeland from which he is banished.

The sequel serves up similar themes of empirical corruption, a rigid caste structure, and humanity’s perverse attraction to watching inhumane battles as entertainment for both the masses and aristocracy alike.

Read our interview with screenwriter David Scarpa HERE.