Jump to content

Gladiator II

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Draft:Gladiator 2)

Gladiator II
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRidley Scott
Screenplay byDavid Scarpa
Story by
Based onCharacters created by David Franzoni
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohn Mathieson
Edited by
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release dates
  • November 15, 2024 (2024-11-15) (United Kingdom)
  • November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22) (United States)
Running time
148 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$250–310 million[1]

Gladiator II is an upcoming epic historical action film directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), the film was written by David Scarpa from a story he wrote with Peter Craig. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington. Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprise their roles from the first film. It was produced by Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment and Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The story follows Lucius, the former heir to the Roman Empire and son of Maximus and Lucilla, who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman army led by Marcus Acacius. Lucius seeks revenge against Acacius and fights as a gladiator for Macrinus, a former slave who plots to overthrow the emperors Caracalla and Geta.

A sequel to Gladiator was discussed as early as June 2001, with David Franzoni and John Logan set to return as screenwriters. Over the next few years, Scott offered occasional updates, including the possible involvement of the original film's lead actor, Russell Crowe, along with plot ideas about the Roman afterlife and different historical time periods. Development was halted when DreamWorks sold the rights to the property to Paramount in 2006. The film was finally announced in 2018, and Mescal was cast in the lead role in January 2023, with a script by Scarpa. The rest of the cast signed on over the next several months. Filming took place between June 2023 and January 2024, with a five-month hiatus due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.

Gladiator II is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2024, and in the United States on November 22. A sequel, Gladiator III, is in early stages of development.

Premise

[edit]

Over two decades after the events of Gladiator, Lucius—the grandson of Rome's former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla and Maximus[2]—lives with his wife and child in Numidia. Roman soldiers led by General Marcus Acacius invade, killing his wife and forcing Lucius into slavery. Inspired by Maximus, Lucius resolves to fight as a gladiator under the teaching of Macrinus, a former slave who plots to overthrow the young emperors Caracalla and Geta.[3][4]

Cast

[edit]
  • Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus: The former heir to the Roman Empire and son of Maximus (the main character in the 2000 film Gladiator).[2] He lives with his wife and child in a coastal town in Numidia, and has had no connection with his mother, Lucilla, for around 15 years.[5] He is taken prisoner by the Roman army after they invade his home and is forced to fight as a gladiator. He was portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator.
  • Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius: A Roman general who trained under Maximus. He leads an army to take over North Africa, but does not wish to send more men to war for the emperors.[6] He is relegated to fighting as a gladiator in the Colosseum. According to Pascal, he is "a very, very good general, which can mean a very good killer", and is a symbol to Lucius of everything he hates.[3]
  • Connie Nielsen as Lucilla (based on the historical figure Lucilla): Lucius's mother, who sent Lucius to Numidia after Maximus's death to protect him from Rome's corruption. She associates with Acacius and watches Lucius fight in the Colosseum, but initially does not recognize him as her son.[3] She is feared and exploited by those in power, such as the emperors.[7] Nielsen reprises her role from the original film.[3]
  • Denzel Washington as Macrinus: A former slave who plots to control Rome.[6] He keeps a stable of gladiators and mentors Lucius. He also works as an arms dealer, providing food and oil to the armies in Europe. Director Ridley Scott described him as "pretty fucking cruel" to the arena fighters,[3] with Washington adding that he "wants to be Emperor and he's willing to do anything to get there".[8]
  • Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta (based on the historical figure Geta): The co-emperor of Rome alongside his brother, Caracalla. Scott described the pair as "damaged goods from birth" who are "almost a replay of Romulus and Remus".[3] Careful to not "soil" Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Commodus from the original film, Quinn took inspiration from Philip Seymour Hoffman's Owen Davian from Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Gary Oldman's Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg from The Fifth Element (1997) for playing his character.[9]
  • Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla (based on the historical figure Caracalla): The co-emperor of Rome alongside his brother, Geta. He has a pet monkey and is less stable than his brother due to "cognitive erosion" in his brain.[10] Hechinger discussed with Scott about finding inspirations to build Caracalla's look from Sid Vicious,[11] with the monkey serving as another inspiration for the character's "crazed behavior".[10]
  • Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus: A member of the Roman Senate who opposes the growing corruption of the Imperial Court. Jacobi reprises his role from the original film.[7]
  • Tim McInnerny as Thraex.
  • Alexander Karim as Ravi.
  • Rory McCann as Tegula.
  • Alec Utgoff as Darius.
  • May Calamawy as Lucius' wife.

Lior Raz, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas appear in yet-to-be-disclosed roles.

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

In June 2001, developments for a Gladiator (2000) follow-up began for either a prequel or sequel, with David Franzoni in early negotiations to once again serve as screenwriter.[12] The following year, a sequel was announced to be moving forward with John Logan serving as screenwriter. The plot, set 15 years later, included the Praetorian Guards ruling Rome, and an older Lucius—the son of Lucilla in Gladiator—searching for the truth about his biological father. Franzoni signed on as producer, alongside Douglas Wick and Walter Parkes.[13] In December 2002, the film's plot was announced to include prequel events regarding the parentage of Lucius, as well as sequel events depicting the resurrection of Maximus, the main character of the original film. The producers and Russell Crowe, who portrayed Maximus, collaboratively and extensively researched ancient Roman beliefs regarding the afterlife.[14] By September 2003, Ridley Scott announced that the script was completed, while confirming that the story would primarily center on Lucius.[15]

Ridley Scott returned to direct Gladiator II two decades after the original.

In May 2006, Scott stated that DreamWorks Pictures had wanted to make the sequel, but there were differing ideas for the story. Crowe had favoured a fantasy element in bringing Maximus back to life, while the studio were basing the film on Lucius as the son of Maximus and Lucilla. Scott also discussed the necessity of a more complex script with the corruption of Rome in the potential sequel.[16] During this time, Nick Cave was commissioned to write a new draft of the script. It was later revealed to be written under the working title of "Christ Killer". Cave described the plot as a "deities vs. deity vs. humanity" story. The story involved Maximus in purgatory, who is resurrected as an immortal warrior for the Roman gods. Maximus is sent back to Earth and tasked with ending Christianity by killing Jesus and his disciples, as Christianity was draining the power of the ancient Pagan gods. During his mission, Maximus is tricked into murdering his own son. Cursed to live forever, Maximus fights in the Crusades, World War II, and the Vietnam War; with the ending revealing that in the present-day, the character now works at the Pentagon. The script was rejected and scrapped.[17][18][19]

After experiencing financial difficulties in the 2000s, DreamWorks Pictures—including the rights to Gladiator and the rest of the pre-2006 live-action film library—was sold to Paramount Pictures in 2006 and development on the sequel was halted.[20] Over the years, other attempts on a sequel script were made, but Scott felt that many writers "were afraid to take it on".[10] He also said that he and everyone involved in the original film were busy so no one thought about making a sequel, but as time passed, he noticed how well Gladiator aged to the point of seemingly having "taken a life of its own" that it made him feel that he owed the audience a continuation to that story.[10] In March 2017, Scott revealed that the difficulties of reintroducing Maximus had been resolved. The filmmaker expressed enthusiasm for the future of the project, while discussions with Crowe to reprise his role were ongoing.[21]

In November 2018, it was announced that Paramount was green lighting the development of a sequel. Scott was in early negotiations to once again serve as director, with a script written by Peter Craig. Scott would also serve as producer alongside Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Walter Parkes, and Laurie MacDonald, with the project being a joint-venture production between Paramount, Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment, and Parkes/MacDonald Image Nation.[22] In June 2019, the producers revealed that the script took place 25 to 30 years after the first film.[23] The plot was reported to center around Lucius.[24] In April 2021, Chris Hemsworth approached Crowe with a proposal to become involved with the project, with the intention to co-produce the film. While working together on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), the two actors shared additional ideas for the film.[25]

By September 2021, Scott stated that the script was once again being worked on with his intention being to direct the sequel upon the completion of production on Napoleon (2023).[26] In November, it was revealed that David Scarpa, who worked with Scott on Napoleon, was rewriting the script.[27] Scott stated in a 2023 interview that they had struggled for 10 months to write the script four years previously, until they revisited the idea of Lucius as the "survivor" of the original film.[28] According to Scott, the premise for the sequel began with the emperors Caracalla and Geta. He said, "After Commodus's death, there was a scramble for the chair, and out of that eventually came a man who became the father of the two princes...One of them was just this side of being dysfunctional, a lunatic. The other one tried to control his brother. So that state of constant disagreement and fluctuating personalities was where we began.”[29]

Originally greenlit with a production budget of $165 million, the cost of the film increased to a reported $310 million by the time filming wrapped (though Paramount insisted the net cost did not exceed $250 million).[1] Additionally, Ridley Scott's desire to have a rhino battle in the original film, which went unrealized due to cost, was included in the sequel.[30][31][32][33] The production received nearly €47 million in film incentive rebates from Malta, setting a record the largest rebate issued for a film production in the European Union.[34]

Pre-production

[edit]
Irish actor Paul Mescal at the screening of The Lost Daughter at the 44th Mill Valley Film Festival on 16th October 2021.
Pedro Pascal speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.
Denzel Washington in 2018
Connie Nielsen speaking at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.
Sir Derek Jacobi - BFI Southbank - Sunday 13th November 2022
Joseph Quinn on the red carpet at the Big Screen Achievement Awards at the 2024 CinemaCon at The Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fred Hechinger at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024
(Clockwise from top left) Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Fred Hechinger, Joseph Quinn, and Derek Jacobi

In January 2023, Paul Mescal was cast in the film as the adult Lucius (originally portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark), while it was also reported that Arthur Max and Janty Yates, the production designer and costume designer of the original film, respectively, would also be returning to work on the sequel.[35] Scott was unaware of Mescal's fame until he watched his performance in the BBC Three/Hulu miniseries Normal People, which he came across in his need for a "bedtime story". Shortly after, the story for Gladiator II was completed, and Scott ultimately cast Mescal in the lead role after a brief Zoom call.[28][3][10] Austin Butler, Richard Madden and Miles Teller had also been considered for the lead role.[36] Mescal was chosen after Daria Cercek and Michael Ireland had seen his performance in the West End revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, claiming that the "ladies in the audience [had been] very vocal" when he had taken his shirt off.[37] Having seen the original film when he was 13 with his father, Mescal was invited for breakfast by Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wick, who informed him about the sequel's casting, proceeding to tell Scott about his physical capabilities due to playing Gaelic football in his youth while Scott found a striking resemblance to Richard Harris, who played Marcus Aurelius in the original film, so he opted to cast Mescal despite his newcomer status under the pretext he launched careers likewise for Sigourney Weaver and Brad Pitt when he cast them in his films Alien (1979) and Thelma & Louise (1991) respectively. To prepare for the role, Mescal didn't get in touch with Crowe to avoid audiences thinking the film will define his career, trained physically, ate sweet potato and ground beef to put on 18 pounds of muscle and remembered Roman history he studied at school,[38] in addition to practice fighting choreography, horse training and sword fighting.[10]

In March 2023, Barry Keoghan entered negotiations to join the cast in the role of Emperor Caracalla while Denzel Washington joined the cast.[39][40] Regarding Scott and his brother Tony as "great filmmakers" who never miss, Washington accepted the role out of interest to work with the inspirational Scott brother again after their previous collaboration in American Gangster (2007).[8] Additionally, John Mathieson was set to return as cinematographer for the film.[41] In April 2023, it was announced that Connie Nielsen and Djimon Hounsou would reprise their roles as Lucilla and Juba respectively, while Joseph Quinn was added to the cast as Emperor Geta.[42][43] In May 2023, Pedro Pascal, May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas joined the cast of the film, with Fred Hechinger entering negotiations to play Caracalla after Keoghan had to drop out over scheduling conflicts. Jacobi reprises his role as Senator Gracchus from the first film.[44][45] Hechinger would be confirmed the following month.[46] Similarly to Mescal, Pascal underwent intense gladiator training for his role, which he found challenging, but deemed the experience "the most exciting" of his career due to growing up with Scott's films.[10] In December, Hounsou announced that, despite initially being involved, he would not be returning for the sequel due to scheduling conflicts.[47]

Filming

[edit]

Production was expected to begin in May 2023, with Ouarzazate, Morocco set as a filming location.[48] Set construction began in the city in April.[49] Filming began in June 2023 with additional filming locations planned for Malta, which stood-in for ancient Rome, and the United Kingdom over the following four months,[50][51] with few early sequences being shot at Morocco before flying to Malta to shoot the rest of the film. Mescal felt some nerves over shooting in the assembled Colosseum and shooting scenes with Washington.[38] An accident involving fire during filming on June 7 injured six crew members.[46] Filming was suspended in July due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[52] For a fight sequence, a rhinoceros was created via 3D printing controlled by radio remote, but filming the scene took two or three days and affected Mescal's physicality due to the temperature.[10] Filming resumed on December 4 in Malta,[53] and wrapped on January 17, 2024.[54] Filming also took place on the South Downs at Devil's Dyke, Sussex in June 2024.[55]

Funding

[edit]

In August 2023, the Times of Malta reported that the government of Malta was due to pay €46,653,961 to the subsidiary company of Paramount Studios producing the film, and "breaks the record for the biggest state aid to cinema in the EU."[56]

Music

[edit]

In January 2024, it was reported that Harry Gregson-Williams was composing the score for the film, taking over from Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard who scored the first film.[57] Zimmer decided not to return because he did not want to repeat his work from the first film. In an interview with Curzon, he said that the film was "in really good hands" with Gregson-Williams, who had started his career as Zimmer's assistant.[58]

Release

[edit]

Gladiator II is scheduled to be released internationally, including the United Kingdom, on November 15, 2024, and later in the United States and Canada on November 22, by Paramount Pictures. Universal Pictures declined to co-finance the sequel or distribute it overseas as it had the first film, leaving only Paramount as the worldwide distributor.[59][60] In Australia and New Zealand, Gladiator II will be released earlier on November 14.[61] It was previously scheduled for a global release on November 22.[62]

On July 1, 2024, it was announced that the film's release date would be shared with the first of the two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked (from Universal), whose date was moved from November 27 to avoid competition with Moana 2. This sparked speculation on whether pitting the two films together could lead to a scenario similar to the Barbenheimer phenomenon, which was a result of Barbie and Oppenheimer both being released on July 21, 2023.[63] On July 10, 2024, Mescal called the double release "Glicked" and voiced his support for the two films to be shown as a double feature, saying "It would be amazing 'cause I think the films couldn't be more polar opposites and it worked in that context previously. So, fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend".[64]

Much like the original film, Gladiator II was given a R rating by the Motion Picture Association due to "strong bloody violence".[65]

Marketing

[edit]

Footage of the film screened at the CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas included scenes of Joseph Quinn as Geta dressed in a white toga and laurel-leaf crown dramatically plunging his thumb downward to note the fate of defeated gladiators, with Nielsen in the background.[51] In June of that year, Scott showcased an extended clip of the film featuring Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, and Quinn.[66]

A poster for the film was released on July 8, 2024, with a trailer released the following day.[67] The trailer would also reportedly be attached to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), which was released on July 26, 2024.[68] Jennifer Ouellette of Ars Technica said the trailer indicated the film "promises to be just as much of a visual feast, as a new crop of power players (plus a couple of familiar faces) clash over the future of Rome".[69] Rather than using an orchestral score, the first trailer used "No Church in the Wild" by Jay-Z and Kanye West which caused a backlash among film fans. Some justified this choice of music by citing the trailer for the first Gladiator which had used "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock.[70] Screen Rant criticized how the second trailer spoiled the plot twist of Maximus being Lucius's father; while a common fan theory since the first film's release, Adam Bentz found it questionable to reveal in a trailer, as it could have been emotionally impactful for audiences like it was for Mescal when he found out his character's relationship with the original's protagonist.[71]

On the first day of the 2024 NFL season, Paramount Pictures and Pepsi announced a campaign cross-promoting the film with the soft drink's sponsorship of the National Football League. A series of advertisements featured football stars Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson, and Travis Kelce as "Gridiron Gladiators", with Megan Thee Stallion appearing as Empress Megan.[72]

On October 4, 2024, Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that the movie would sponsor that year's King of Pro-Wrestling event on October 14, which is slated to be the first since 2019.[73]

Reception

[edit]

Box office projections

[edit]

According to Deadline Hollywood, Quorum projects Gladiator II to gross $42–47 million on its opening weekend, while Box Office Theory projects it to gross $53–75 million and Boxoffice Pro projecting it will be $60–80 million, finishing second at the box office behind Wicked.[74][75][76]

Critical response

[edit]

Early reactions from the film's first screening at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on October 18, 2024 were positive. Critics praised Scott's direction, the set pieces, battle sequences and Mescal's and Washington's performances, mentioning that Scott and Washington could be nominated for the Academy Awards, but a few felt the film lacked an "emotional punch" when compared to the original film.[77][78][79]

Film critic Scott Menzel deemed the film Scott's best since The Martian (2015), a "big, bloody and bad ass action spectacle" that builds upon the original film's legacy.[77]

Historical accuracy

[edit]

The real-life Macrinus was a praetorian prefect of Berber descent from North Africa who became Roman emperor in 217 AD after conspiring against Caracalla and having him murdered.[80]

Lucius Verus was Roman emperor from 161 AD until his death in 169 AD, alongside his adoptive brother Marcus Aurelius.[81] Gladiator II's Lucilla is also based on a real historical figure. The real-life Lucilla was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius and the wife of Lucius Verus. One of their sons was named Lucius Verus.[82]

There is no historical record of a Roman general named Marcus Acacius.[83]

Potential sequel

[edit]

In September 2024, Scott revealed that he was developing a script for a third film, and that the realization depends on the reception for the second installment. Titled Gladiator III, the plot was stated to follow the continuing adventures of Lucius Verus. Likening the ending of Gladiator II to The Godfather Part II (1974), the filmmaker stated that the next movie would explore the character's realization that he is now tasked with a continuing reputation that he does not want.[84][85] Scott later stated that the movie is in early stages of development and intended to be the next project he works on.[86]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Braslow, Samuel; Dolak, Kevin; Sancton, Julian (February 23, 2023). "Rambling Roundup: Ridley Scott's Very Expensive Roman Holiday". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Gladiator II trailer reveals that Lucius is the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus after all". September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Breznican, Anthony (July 1, 2024). "Paul Mescal vs. Pedro Pascal: A First Look at the Epic Gladiator II". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "'Gladiator II' Cast and Character Guide: Who's Who in the Epic Action Sequel?". The Wrap. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  5. ^ @RottenTomatoes (November 26, 2023). "Ridley Scott gives us an inside scoop on Paul Mescal's role as Lucius in #Gladiator2" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b "The First 'Gladiator 2' Trailer Is Epic And Absolutely Stunning". Forbes. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Huff, Lauren (September 23, 2024). "Connie Nielsen breaks down her emotional return to the Colosseum in 'insane' Gladiator II". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Travis, Ben (August 23, 2024). "Denzel Washington On Working With Tony And Ridley Scott: 'Both Are Great – They Can't Miss'". Empire. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Travis, Benn (August 23, 2024). "Joseph Quinn In Gladiator II Was Inspired By Gary Oldman And Philip Seymour Hoffman's Wildest Roles". Empire. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "Now entering the arena: Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal unsheathe Gladiator II". Entertainment Weekly. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  11. ^ Watson, Fay (July 19, 2024). "Gladiator 2's emperor actor teases the "wild" sequel and how his character is surprisingly inspired by punk star Sid Vicious". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Stax (June 16, 2001). "IGN FilmForce Exclusive: David Franzoni in Negotiations for Another Gladiator!". IGN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  13. ^ Linder, Brian (September 24, 2002). "A Hero Will Rise ... Again". IGN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  14. ^ Stax (December 17, 2002). "A Hero Will Rise – From the Dead!". IGN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  15. ^ Stax (September 11, 2003). "Ridley Talks Gladiator 2". IGN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  16. ^ Weinberg, Scott (May 8, 2006). "Ridley Lays "Gladiator 2" to Rest". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  17. ^ Fischer, Russ (July 12, 2013). "WTF: Nick Cave Wanted to Call His Gladiator 2 Script Christ Killer". Slash Film. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  18. ^ Barber, Nicholas (August 9, 2018). "Gladiator 2: The strangest sequel never made?". British Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  19. ^ Michaels, Sean (May 6, 2009). "Nick Cave's rejected Gladiator 2 script uncovered!". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  20. ^ "Paramount To Buy Dreamworks". www.cbsnews.com. December 11, 2005. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  21. ^ Hibberd, James (March 11, 2017). "Ridley Scott on Gladiator sequel: 'I know how to bring him back'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  22. ^ Flemming, Mike Jr. (November 1, 2018). "Ridley Scott Moving Forward With Gladiator 2; Peter Craig To Write Script For Paramount". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  23. ^ Sprague, Mike (June 11, 2019). "Gladiator 2 Is Still Happening, Top Gun 2 Writer Takes on Script". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  24. ^ Ovenden, Olivia (February 11, 2018). "Gladiator 2: Ridley Scott's Oscar Winner Is Getting A Sequel". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  25. ^ New Idea (April 6, 2021). "Chris Hemsworth begs Russell Crowe: Let's make Gladiator 2!". New Idea. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  26. ^ Butcher, Sophie (September 29, 2021). "Ridley Scott Says Gladiator 2 Will Be 'Ready To Go' After Napoleon Movie – Exclusive". Empire. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  27. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 12, 2021). "Ridley Scott Won't Let Age Or Pandemic Slow A Storytelling Appetite That Brought House of Gucci & The Last Duel; Napoleon & More 'Gladiator' Up Next". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  28. ^ a b Graham, Jamie (October 6, 2023). "Ridley Scott couldn't stop thinking about Paul Mescal after watching Normal People, so he cast him in Gladiator 2". Total Film. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  29. ^ "Gladiator 2: Ridley Scott Sees Our Future in the Fallen Roman Empire". Den of Geek. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  30. ^ Cripe, Michael (July 9, 2024). "Ridley Scott Has Wanted That Rhino Battle From the Gladiator 2 Trailer for 25 Years". IGN. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  31. ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick (June 11, 2020). "Gladiator Producer Reveals His Biggest Regret About the Film". Comicbook.com. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  32. ^ Davids, Brian (June 18, 2020). "How a Painting Wooed Ridley Scott into Directing 'Gladiator'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  33. ^ Bushby, Helen (July 9, 2024). "Gladiator II: Paul Mescal battles a rhino in upcoming film". BBC. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  34. ^ Zammit, Mark Laurence (August 19, 2023). "Gladiator film to be given €47 million in taxpayers' money". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Limited. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023.
  35. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 6, 2023). "Paul Mescal To Star In Ridley Scott's Gladiator Sequel For Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  36. ^ Kroll, Justin [@krolljvar] (January 6, 2023). "Butler didn't end up meeting as he was looking for a break after shooting MASTERS OF AIR, DUNE 2 and BIKERIDERS back-to-back-to-back. Came down to Paul, Miles and Tim and besides having great meeting with Paul, Ridley was looking for actor who wasn't quite a star yet for role" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 10, 2023 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ Lang, Brian (July 26, 2023). "After a Decade in Limbo, Brian Robbins Is Giving Paramount a Makeover With 'Ninja Turtles,' Tom Cruise and 'Gladiator 2'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  38. ^ a b "Paul Mescal Enters the Arena in Gladiator II". October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  39. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 16, 2023). "Barry Keoghan In Talks To Join Gladiator Sequel At Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  40. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 17, 2023). "Denzel Washington Reuniting With Ridley Scott On 'Gladiator' Sequel At Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  41. ^ Jackson, Angelique (March 17, 2023). "Denzel Washington in Talks to Join Ridley Scott's Gladiator Sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  42. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 28, 2023). "Paramount's Gladiator Sequel's Cast Grows As Connie Nielsen Closes Deal To Return As Lucilla While Stranger Things Breakout Joseph Quinn Lands Emperor Caracalla Role". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  43. ^ Galuppo, Mia; Kit, Borys (April 28, 2023). "Stranger Things Star Joseph Quinn Set for Gladiator Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  44. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 1, 2023). "Pedro Pascal Joins Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' Sequel At Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  45. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 18, 2023). "Paramount's Gladiator Sequel Rounds Out Cast With Moon Knight Breakout May Calamawy & Others; White Lotus Actor Fred Hechinger In Talks For Emperor Geta Role". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  46. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 9, 2023). "Six Gladiator 2 Crewmembers Injured In Stunt Accident On Set". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  47. ^ Italiano, Eric (December 15, 2023). "Djimon Hounsou Says He Is Not Returning For The Gladiator Sequel (Exclusive)". BroBible. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  48. ^ "Gladiator movie sequel to be filmed in Morocco's Ouarzazate". Middle East Monitor. January 8, 2023. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  49. ^ Zouiten, Sara (April 12, 2023). "Construction Begins on Giant Arena for Gladiator 2 in Morocco's Ouarzazate". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  50. ^ Rajput, Priyanca (June 8, 2023). "Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2 enters production". KFTV.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  51. ^ a b Romano, Nick (April 17, 2024). "Inside Joseph Quinn's breakthrough year: Gladiator II, Fantastic Four, and more". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  52. ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (July 14, 2023). "Here Are All The Movies Affected by the SAG-AFTRA Strike From Deadpool 3 to Mission: Impossible 8 (Photos)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  53. ^ Lang, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (November 28, 2023). "Gladiator 2 Resuming Production in Malta Next Week (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  54. ^ Gearan, Hannah (January 17, 2024). "Gladiator 2 Completes Filming, New Star Celebrates With BTS Ridley Scott Image". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  55. ^ "Gladiator II filming crews and Paul Mescal spotted in Sussex". The Argus. June 11, 2024. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  56. ^ "Gladiator film to be given €47 million in taxpayers' money". Times of Malta. August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  57. ^ Ritman, Alex (January 5, 2024). "Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator 2' Taps Hans Zimmer Protégé Harry Gregson-Williams as Composer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  58. ^ Warmann, Amon (March 6, 2024). "HANS ZIMMER: 'I HAD TO CHANGE STYLE BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE WAS DOING MINE'". Curzon. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  59. ^ McPherson, Chris (June 19, 2024). "'Gladiator 2' Just Won the Battle for an Earlier Release Date Internationally". Collider. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  60. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (June 19, 2024). "Paramount Goes Epic At CineEurope With 'Gladiator II' Footage; Highlights 'A Quiet Place: Day One' & 'Transformers One'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  61. ^ Choy, Rachel (July 10, 2024). "Gladiator II: Everything We Know Including Trailer, Plot, Release Date & Cast". Pedestrian.tv. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  62. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 3, 2023). "'Gladiator 2′ Gets Pre-Thanksgiving 2024 Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  63. ^ Blistein, Jon (July 2, 2024). "If 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator 2' Is the Next 'Barbenheimer,' It Needs a Better Portmanteau Than 'Wickiator'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  64. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (July 10, 2024). "Paul Mescal Anoints the Next 'Barbenheimer' with 'Gladiator 2' and 'Wicked' Opening Same Day: 'Glicked'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  65. ^ Rigdely, Charlie (August 27, 2024). "Gladiator II Rating Confirms the Colosseum Will Get Bloody". ComicBook.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  66. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (June 19, 2024). "Paramount Goes Epic At CineEurope With 'Gladiator II' Footage; Highlights 'A Quiet Place: Day One' & 'Transformers One'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 20, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  67. ^ Adams, Timothy (July 8, 2024). "First Gladiator 2 Poster Released Ahead of Trailer Debut". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  68. ^ McPherson, Chris (June 24, 2024). "Here's When the 'Gladiator 2' Trailer Will Drop [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  69. ^ Ouellette, Jennifer (July 9, 2024). "It's another bloody power struggle for Rome's future in Gladiator II trailer". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  70. ^ Stolworthy, Jacob (July 10, 2024). "Gladiator 2 trailer causes ridiculous debate among film fans". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  71. ^ Bentz, Adam (October 22, 2024). ""Oh Sh*t": Gladiator II's Paul Mescal Reveals How He Reacted To The Maximus Twist". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 23, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  72. ^ "PEPSI® KICKS OFF 2024 NFL SEASON WITH COLOSSAL CAMPAIGN INSPIRED BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES' UPCOMING "GLADIATOR II", STARRING MEGAN THEE STALLION AND NFL SUPERSTARS JOSH ALLEN, DERRICK HENRY, JUSTIN JEFFERSON, AND TRAVIS KELCE" (Press release). Purchase, New York: PepsiCo. PR Newswire. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  73. ^ Thompson, Andrew (October 4, 2024). "Gladiator II movie starring Denzel Washington named main sponsor of NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling". POST Wrestling. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  74. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 18, 2024). "'Moana 2' To Catch A Big Wave Over Thanksgiving With Potential $100M+ 5-Day Opening; $75M+ 3-Day – Box Office Early Look". Deadline. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  75. ^ Robbins, Shawn (October 18, 2024). "5-Week Tracking & Forecasts: GLADIATOR II and WICKED's Early Box Office Prospects, Plus Updated VENOM: THE LAST DANCE Tracking – Box Office Theory". Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  76. ^ Staff, Boxoffice (October 24, 2024). "Long Range Forecast: GLADIATOR II Goes to Battle at the Box Office". Boxoffice. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  77. ^ a b Thomas, Carly (October 18, 2024). "Gladiator II First Reactions From Early Screening: "A Total Spectacle With a Pulsating Pace"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  78. ^ Garner, Glenn (October 20, 2024). "Gladiator II First Reactions Call Ridley Scott's Sequel "Unhinged," "Deliciously Cinematic And Machiavellian": "Can't Believe Ridley Pulled This Off"". Deadline. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  79. ^ "Gladiator II First Reactions: Ridley Scott Has Done It Again". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  80. ^ "Who Is Denzel Washington's Gladiator II Character, Macrinus". MovieMaker. July 9, 2024.
  81. ^ "The Real Roman History Behind 'Gladiator II', Explained". Esquire. July 9, 2024.
  82. ^ "Who's who in history in Gladiator 2?". ClutchPoints. June 9, 2024.
  83. ^ "Gladiator 2: Is Pedro Pascal's Marcus Acacius Based on a Real Person?". Yahoo Entertainment. July 3, 2024.
  84. ^ Picard, Sylvestre (September 20, 2024). "Ridley Scott is already preparing Gladiator 3 [exclusive]". Premiere. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  85. ^ Sharf, Zack (September 20, 2024). "Ridley Scott Is 'Already Toying With the Idea' for 'Gladiator 3': 'Seriously! I've Lit the Fuse'". Variety. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  86. ^ Hibberd, James & Aaron Couch (September 20, 2024). "Ridley Scott Planning a 'Gladiator 3': "There's Already an Idea"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gladiator_II&oldid=1254683369"