Summary
Russell Crowe might not be returning as Maximus inGladiator II, but the movie already revealed how he can still appear in some form. Ridley Scott’s 2024 sequel to his 2000 epic hit pushes the story in a brand-new direction. Opting against early plans forGladiator 2to explore Maximus' coming back to life afterGladiator’s ending, it was decided that Russell Crowe would not return to star, with the sequel instead shifting the focus toMaximus' son, Lucius, played by Paul Mescal.
Gladiator 2happening without the original franchise star is not surprising narratively, considering that Maximus died before. Bringing him back from the dead would create a drastically different story and was viewed as a potential risk for the franchise to take. Instead, the sequel is making a concentrated effort to focus on his legacy, whether through Lucius' storyline or direct connections like Maximus' armor being featured. And althoughCrowe isn’t inGladiator 2, a way for him to still appear without changing Maximus' fate has been teased.
Lucius' Gladiator 2 Story Means Russell Crowe’s Unrealized Ending Can Finally Happen After 24 Years
A potential story arc for Lucius in Gladiator II could make an unrealized ending for Russell Crowe’s Maximus come true after almost three decades.
Gladiator 2’s Trailer Includes Footage Of Russell Crowe’s Maximus As A Memory
Lucius Remembers Seeing Maximus' Final Fights
One of the earliest shots of thefirstGladiator 2trailersurprisingly shows Russell Crowe’s Maximus. The first shot is pulled fromGladiatoras Maximus is shown preparing for his fight against Tigris of Gaul. The trailer also thenshows Maximus standing over Commodus' dead bodyin the arena after defeating him inGladiator’s final battle. For the purposes of the film’s marketing, the recycled footage’s color grading has changed to indicate that we are seeing Lucius' memories of Maximus.
The decision to include these scenes from the original movie inGladiator 2’s trailer does not confirm that the same footage will actually be featured in the final cut of the sequel. However, it does make that a real possibility. The actual movie could then technicallyhave scenes of Russell Crowe as Maximus by reusing footage from the original filmor possibly even repurposing deleted scenes or unused footage. ButGladiator 2would not be the first movie to include scenes from previous installments in a trailer that aren’t in the new entry if that does not happen.
Gladiator 2’s Maximus Flashbacks Can Be More Than Just A Trailer Tactic
A Recasting Bolsters The Chances Of Seeing Russell Crowe
The possibility ofGladiator 2showing Russell Crowe’s Maximus in flashbacks through Lucius' memories increases thanks to what Ridley Scott has already revealed. In addition to Paul Mescal replacing Spencer Treat Clark as Lucius,the sequel also recast Lucius a second time for scenes of him as a kid. This includes Scott shooting scenes that take place directly during the original film’s events. The emphasis put on Lucius' memories of Maximus early on inGladiator 2’s trailer implies that this is more than just a marketing gimmick.
By recasting young Lucius too,Gladiator 2is sure to explore at least some parts of his life at a point where Maximus was still around. Even if it just quick glimpses of various scenes from the original movie,the sequel has a great opportunity now to show portions of Maximus' life through the eyes of his son. The legacy angle between Lucius and Maximus appears to be key toGladiator II, so it would only make sense then for Russell Crowe to be shown in some capacity, even if it doesn’t mean he filmed new scenes.
