It's time to be entertained once again. Ridley Scott's Gladiator isn't just one of the best films of the 2000s; it's widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. Gladiator grants audiences a realistic look at the ancient Roman Empire and offers a front row seat to the legendary gladiator battles of the Coliseum. After 24 years of developmental hell, its highly anticipated sequel, Gladiator II, is finally set for release this month.
Although it's set over 20 years later, Gladiator II will follow and reference events from the original film, so it's probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with Gladiator. Don't have time for a watch or rewatch? Don't worry, MovieWeb's got you covered. Here are nine key details to remember from the original film, as you head into the theater, and also into the Coliseum, for Gladiator II.
9 Maximus Was a Respected Roman General
Gladiator revolves around the character Maximus (Russell Crowe). In the beginning of the film, Maximus is a Roman general who's led Rome's army to many great victories.
A competent and strong leader, he has the love and respect of the Roman people. Even Rome's Emperor, the elderly Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), holds Maximus in high regard. And that proves problematic for the Roman general.
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8 Commodus Seized His Father's Throne
Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) is the only son of Marcus Aurelius and the heir to Rome's throne. He's also a sick puppy that's unfit to rule, a fact that's acknowledged by his own father.
Marcus tells his son that upon his death, he wishes Maximus -- not Commodus -- to succeed him, rid Rome of its Empire, and restore the Roman Republic. This doesn't sit too well with Commodus. Enraged, he murders his father and seizes the throne for himself.
7 Commodus Also Betrayed Maximus
After proclaiming himself Rome's new emperor, Commodus requests the loyalty of Maximus. But the Roman general can smell the treachery from a mile away and refuses to support Commodus.
Enraged by yet another rejection, Commodus orders the deaths of both Maximus and his family. Maximus manages to escape capture, only to return home and find his wife and son brutally slaughtered.
After discovering his wife and son's corpses, Maximus collapses from his injuries. He's later found by slave traders, who sell him to a gladiator trainer. Now an enslaved gladiator, Maximus wins numerous local matches because of his expert combat skills, gaining popularity among spectators. He's taken to Rome's Coliseum to compete in gladiator matches hosted by none other than the treacherous Commodus.
The new emperor is horrified to learn that Maximus is still alive -- and that horror only grows when Maximus, known to Rome's spectators only as "the Spaniard", wins the hearts of the Roman people, completely overshadowing Commodus. "Are you not entertained?!" he shouts ruthlessly at the crowd. And they absolutely love him for it.
5 Lucilla Was Commodus' Sister
Commodus may have been the only son of Marcus Aurelius, but he wasn't the emperor's only child. Marcus Aurelius also had a daughter, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), the sister of Commodus.
Lucilla isn't corrupt like her younger brother and tries to stay clear of his wicked schemes -- and also his incestuous advances. Nielsen reprised her role as Lucilla in Gladiator 2, making this a particularly important detail to remember.
4 Lucilla and Maximus Had History
Another significant thing to keep in mind when heading into Gladiator II -- Maximus and Lucilla have history, as in they were former lovers. They both went on to marry other people, and tragically, they were both recently widowed.
Despite their separation, Lucilla still seems to harbor romantic feelings for Maximus. Their romantic past seems to be an integral plot point in Gladiator II.
3 Lucilla's Son, Lucius, Idolized Maximus
Lucilla has a son named Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark), who's only a boy in the original film. Lucius comes to idolize Maximus after watching the mighty warrior triumph in the Coliseum.
This is another key detail to remember, as Gladiator II follows a grown-up Lucius (Paul Mescal) who, like Maximus, also becomes an enslaved gladiator. We can see Maximus' influence on Lucius in the Gladiator II trailers when he bends down and rubs his hands with the dirt of the battlefield, a move that Maximus was known for in the original movie.
2 Maximus and Commodus Killed Each Other
Commodus decides that the best way to win the love of Rome is by slaying Maximus, the people's hero, in a one-on-one public battle in the Coliseum, a feat that he'll never be able to accomplish on his own. To ensure his victory, Commodus stabs a restrained Maximus before their fight. But even a weakened, dying Maximus still outmatches the sniveling emperor.
Gladiator ends with both fighters dead, though the people only seem to care about one of them. We'll let you guess who. Given this outcome, neither Maximus nor Commodus will appear in Gladiator II. And neither will Russell Crowe nor Joaquin Phoenix.
1 Commodus Didn't Have an Heir
Another crucial detail to remember is that Commodus didn't have an heir or any children that would inherit the title of Emperor upon his death. His next of kin is his nephew Lucius, the grandson of former Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who becomes the lead character in Gladiator II.
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However, based on what we know about the sequel, it doesn't seem like Lucius inherits his uncle's title or serves as the Emperor of Rome. Rather, Rome is ruled by a pair of unstable brothers, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), who rule together as co-emperors. How did they come into power? And what happened to Lucius after the events of Gladiator? We only have to wait a couple more weeks to find out.
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