Gladiator 2 will take place 20-30 years after the original

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

In case you forgot, it was announced late last year that there’s a sequel in the works to the Oscar-winning hit from 2000, GLADIATOR, with Ridley Scott meant to return as director and Peter Craig (THE TOWN, TOP GUN: MAVERICK) on the script. Nothing new about the movie has been announced or discussed, but producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald have come out to remind us the plans for the sequel still exists, and in the process confirmed the timeline it takes place in.

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While on the press tour for the new movie MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL, Parkes and MacDonald spoke with HeyUGuys about where they were at with the sequel, and they confirmed they’ve been working on it with Scott, with MacDonald saying, “We’re working with Ridley. That’s one we wouldn’t touch unless we felt in a way to do it was legitimate. We’re working with an amazing writer as well — Peter Craig.”

Parkes then revealed the first real detail about the sequel, saying, “It picks up the story 30 years later…25 years later.”

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There have been rumors about where the sequel would go, with most believing it will follow a now-adult Lucius, the son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla and the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus. People suspect this will be the focus given that Russell Crowe’s character, Maximus, died at the end of the original, but left a major impact on Lucius in the process. Parkes' words seem to confirm it will take place during a time where the character has grown up, possibly into a great warrior in his own right. The young character was played by Spencer Treat Clark (UNBREAKABLE, GLASS) in the first movie, but it’s unclear if he would be back for the sequel.

Production on the sequel was meant to happen "very quickly" (via IndieWire), but Scott has been busy with his TNT series RAISED BY WOLVES, and last year he was also linked to direct a new movie about the wizard Merlin for Disney. However, it seems GLADIATOR 2 will be a priority, and he is supposed to get started on that after WOLVES.

When it comes to the new GLADIATOR movie I can't say I'm waiting around for it to happen. This seems like a project that picks up some buzz before none of it comes it together in the end. Sword-and-sandal movies aren't as popular as they once were, and without Crowe involved it begs the question if anyone would even care. In that regard, I can't see Clark coming back to lead the movie should Lucius be the focus. You would need a bigger star to come in and fill that void left by Crowe, which is going to be a task and a half.