Two newGladiator IIimages have been released, providing a closer look at Denzel Washington’s scheming lord. Directed by Ridley Scott and serving as a follow-up to his 2000 historical epic starring Russell Crowe, the upcoming film follows Paul Mescal’s Lucius as he becomes a warrior in the gladiatorial arena. TheGladiator 2supporting castfeaturesWashington as Macrinus, a powerful arms dealer with political ambitions, and Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, a fearsome Roman general.
Total Film(viaGamesRadar+) now releases new images fromGladiator 2, featuring both Washington and Pascal. The first image features Macrinus on his own in a red robe looking somewhat suspicious, while the second sees Acacius flanked by two Roman soldiers in full armor, potentially on the field of battle. Check out the new images below:
What Denzel Washington’s Character Means For Gladiator 2’s Story
Macrinus' Role In Real History Explained
Warning! Potential spoilers for Gladiator 2 ahead as based on the history of Ancient Rome.Gladiator 2trailershave already provided a strong idea of what role Macrinus will play in the story. Washington is depicted as saying thatLucius will serve as his “instrument,” suggesting that the film will be adapting elements of real Ancient Roman history. Marcus Opellius Macrinus, after all, is a real historical figure from the 3rd century AD who played an important role in the empire’s development.
Denzel Washington’s Gladiator 2 Character Explained: Everything We Know About Macrinus
Denzel Washington’s Gladiator 2 character is a new addition to the franchise who looks set to play a pivotal role reminiscent of an earlier story.
Macrinus, the historical figure, led a coup d’état againstEmperors Caracalla and Geta(roles played inGladiator 2by Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn, respectively). As is revealed in the trailers,Lucius becomes a pawn in Macrinus' larger political maneuverings, and history reveals that this ultimately results in Macrinus sitting on the throne. Lucius isn’t just doing Macrinus' bidding, however, as the story ofGladiator 2sees Mescal’s character also seeking revenge against Pascal’s Acacius after somebody close to him is killed.
Other actors in theGladiator 2cast include Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Rory McCann, Matt Lucas, and May Calamawy.
Our Take On Macrinus In Gladiator 2
Washington Could Be A Strong Addition To The Cast
In addition to Crowe’s powerful performance as Maximus, one of the reasonsGladiatorsucceeded was because of its compelling array of supporting characters. The sequel is clearly attempting to recapture this same magic, and Washington’s character could be crucial in this regard.Washington remains one of the most acclaimed and celebrated actors of his generation, and he’ll clearly be bringing a great deal of charisma to Macrinus and the film overall.
Macrinus is a character pursuing his own goals, with Lucius seemingly serving only as a means to an end. This means that,while Macrinus might be an ally at first, it may not take much for the tides to shift with this dynamic. It remains to be seen how exactly Washington’s character will feature inGladiator 2, but Macrinus will evidently be an important figure in Lucius' journey.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
