I was initially reluctant to watch Gladiator 2 as the original film holds a special place in my heart. I didn't want to taint that cherished memory. However, I couldn't resist and now, I do regret seeing it. Despite having a few decent elements like Denzel Washington, that was mostly it.

Gladiator 3 on the Horizon

Ridley Scott, the renowned filmmaker, has stated in a recent interview that there will "certainly" be a Gladiator 3. The film has made an impressive $320 million at the box office, and box office analysts predict it could reach $450 million. Producing and marketing the film cost at least $350 million. It seems that this is enough for Ridley Scott to greenlight another sequel, but we'll have to wait and see what the studio decides, especially with budgets on the rise.It's also worth noting that the film is performing well in a crowded market that includes Wicked and Moana 2. These box office giants have their own fan bases. If Gladiator 2 had more space to breathe, it might have achieved even higher totals.

Gladiator 2: A Critical Review

The film received a decent review. It wasn't too far below the original in terms of critical acclaim. In hindsight, it seems crazy that the first Gladiator won Best Picture with an 80% score, while Gladiator 2 got a 71%. Audience scores, however, matched those of the first film.The story of a potential third film is quite interesting. The second film ended with almost everyone dead, including Connie Nielsen's Lucilla, Pedro Pascal's Acacius, Denzel Washington's Macrinus, and the twin emperors Geta and Caracalla played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger. The lead of the film, Paul Mescal's Lucius, survived. He is Maximus and Lucilla's son and should theoretically be emperor now due to his bloodline. But history didn't play out that way in real life. In the end, Lucius kills Macrinus and unites rival armies with his enemies seemingly vanquished.

Historical Context and Future Possibilities

Gladiator 2 takes place in 211 AD. Given Ridley Scott's reputation for playing fast and loose with historical accuracy, it's difficult to predict what he might do with the storyline next. Macrinus, a real character like the twins, did have a brief period of rule, lasting a year instead of the few minutes depicted in the film. Moving forward to the next emperor who ruled for four years, that would be Elagabalus. He introduced the worship of the Syrian god Elagabal, which was a controversial move and also gave him his name.By 235 AD, the Roman Empire was thrown into the "Crisis of the Third Century," a time of great instability. This seems like a perfect setting for a movie. The true "fall" of the Roman Empire is generally considered to be in 476 AD, a significant leap from the current timeline. It remains to be seen if Ridley Scott will attempt to explore such a vast time period.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.