Ridley Scott’sGladiator IIis all about Rome. We first see the empire’s golden boy (General Acacius) heading to Numidia to conquer the territory. Predictably, he emerges victorious. His men return with some slaves, including Lucius, who happens to be Maximus’ long-lost son. Lucius starts serving as a gladiator under the arms dealer and Ludus owner, Macrinus, and it’s only a matter of time before the two men get pitted against each other. The scheming Macrinus wants the throne for himself. Lucius wants to reclaim his rightful place in the empire. Who will emerge victorious?
Gladiator II
Given how much the film examined ancient Rome, fans might assume it was shot in the territory, but that never happened. And it isn’t for a lack of trying. Paul, Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal might have had the opportunity to step on the same soil that Romans glided on if an Anthony Hopkins TV show hadn’t been made. In 2022, the sword-and-sandal series,Those About to Die, starring the veteran actor, was commissioned by Peacock, and it somehow messed with the plans Ridley Scott had forGladiator II.
Anthony Hopkins Plays the Founder of the Flavian Dynasty in ‘Those About to Die’
Those About to Die, which premiered earlier in 2024, is based on the Daniel Pratt book of the same name, whichalso inspired the plot of the firstGladiatorfilm.The title isa reference to the Latin greeting made to the Emperor at the gladiatorial games"Ave Caesar,morituri te salutant(Hail Caesar, those about to die salute you)."
Anthony Hopkins plays the elderly Emperor Vespasian — the last and most competent emperor to rule in the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors. As was the case in history, he is seenruling Rome together with his sons, Titus and Domitianus.The year is 79 AD and the Emperor has concluded thatbuilding the Flavian Amphitheater, later known as the Colosseum, is the best thing he can do to cement his legacy, so he commissions it.
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Historiansfondly remember the real Vespasianas one of the greatest Roman Emperors. He founded the Flavian Dynasty (the second dynastic line of rulers to oversee the Roman Empire, following the Julio-Claudians), which ruled the Empire for 27 years). In an era when the throne changed hands frequently,Vespasian served for a decade.During this period, his financial reforms and policy implementation brought political stability and a building boom.
Elsewhere on the show, the gambler Tenax hasplans to raise himself to a higher standing in the empire by building a formidable team for the races at the Circus Maximus, aided by the skilled racer Scorpus. A determined woman named Cala also goes to Rome in an attempt to free her daughters, Aura and Jula, from slavery and to stop her son, Kwame, from participating in the gladiatorial games, since he fears he will die.
Roland Emmerich Beat Ridley Scott for the Rights to Film in Rome
A gladiator-like battle played out during the production processes ofGladiator IIandThose About to Die. Both projects, covering similar topics,were shot at the same time, but the Peacock show managed to secure the rights to Rome before Scott. How could that happen? Well, the show had an equally great director in Roland Emmerich, aka “The Master of Disaster.”
Known for making the‘90s sci-fi hitsIndependence Day, Godzilla, Stargate,andUniversal Soldier,Emmerich commands a lot of respect in Hollywood, hence he was able to go toe to toe with Scott when it came to a duel for filming rights.
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Empire Magazineinterviewed both Emmerich and the show’s chief writer, Robert Rodat, and the two confirmed the speculation. Despite winning the Battle for Filming Locations, Emmerichinsisted that he has a lot of respect for Scott, especially for managing to create a sequel from what seemed like a shut story.
“I’m really in awe how he could continue that story. Maximus was dead!”
Interestingly, Rodat admitted that Scott was disappointed about not getting Rome. Even so, the writer was kind enough to apologize.
“There are limited assets in Rome and it’s my understanding that he was disappointed that he wasn’t able to shoot there. For that, I apologize!”
After missing out on Rome, Scott opted for Morocco, Malta, and the United Kingdom as filming locations. Thankfully, these regions turned out to be perfect alternatives.
‘Gladiator II’ Still Leaves Fans Entertained
Rome has changed a lot over the centuries, but it would have been ideal to see the city’s real landmarks in the movie. Nonetheless,the setback didn’t affect the movie’s quality.Gladiator IIis still awesome. It has, arguably, a better cast than the first movie. Denzel Washington is aces playing a scheming gladiator owner who uses his wits in lieu of a sword. At 69,the actor still brings off his trademark persona superbly.Here, he gives a career-high villainous performance, reminding everyone of hisTraining Daymagic.
Paul Mescal is wickedly good, too, as Lucius, his employee turned rival.Confidence radiates from him, despite having never starred in a big-budget movie before. We can’t help but ache for his character, Lucius, wondering whether he’ll ever find the freedom and self-expression that we take for granted in modern times. Pedro Pascalputs a unique spice on General Acacius,making him stand out fromthe many other charactershe has played in the last few years.
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Beyond that,Ridley Scott’s blend of multi-camera shooting and CGI makes all the proceedings feel breathtakingly real.All these ingredients make for a meaty, moving Roman tale, shedding stark light on the greed and treachery of the time.
Regrettably, the same cannot be said aboutThose About to Die, a show that perhapsuses its setting as an excuse to pilfer scenes and ideas far beyond its capacity to synthesize them. The cast and crew might have gotten the perfect playground that they needed, but they failed to make good use of it.
The series has beenmet with mixed reviews from both fans and critics.It has a 6.7 score on IMDb and a 48% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The majority of the criticism points to the show’s overcrowded nature, making it unable to create proper arcs for each character, and the excessive focus on gore. It seems Ridley Scott was the most deserving Emperor after all.
