Gladiator II (2024)

Gladiator II is a 2024 epic historical film directed and produced by Ridley Scott. The sequel to Gladiator (2000), it was written by David Scarpa based on a story he wrote with Peter Craig. The film was produced by Scott Free Productions and Red Wagon Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington. Derek Jacobi and Nielsen reprise their roles from the first film, with Mescal replacing Spencer Treat Clark. Mescal portrays Lucius Verus Aurelius, the exiled Prince of Rome, who becomes a prisoner of war and fights as a gladiator for Macrinus, a former slave who plots to overthrow the twin 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 Pictures was sold 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 David Scarpa. Filming took place between June 2023 and January 2024, with a five-month delay due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.

Gladiator II premiered in Sydney, Australia, on October 30, 2024, and was released in the United Kingdom on November 15 and in the United States on November 22. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, although it was considered inferior to its predecessor, and grossed $462.2 million worldwide. It received two nominations at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and Best Supporting Actor for Washington, and was nominated for Best Costume Design at the 97th Academy Awards.