Gladiator II
Warning: Major spoilers for Gladiator II ahead!
The sequel was still driven by powerful performances, as allsix main actors inGladiator IIwere afforded moments to shine.
However, both men find themselvesa catalyst for something more important than vengeance.
They make for perfect villains, astheir cruelty is only matched by how unlikable they are.
Gladiator II is a great exploration of corruption and the enduring human spirit.
The dialogue cements these ideas into cinematic history.
Custom image by Ana Nieves
It’s truly just the same role played in two very different ways.
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
