Denzel Washington’s character is one of the biggest draws of Gladiator IIAnd his role in the upcoming sequel sounds much bigger than we realized. The figure of Gladiator II Sounds excellent, with major stars like Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and others playing major characters in the film. However, the marketing campaign for Gladiator II Has focused heavily on Denzel Washington’s involvement, which is admittedly too exciting for any movie that gets the actor. Luckily, it looks like Denzel Washington might be in Gladiator II More than the marketing is letting on.
After decades of waiting, Ridley Scott has finally returned to make a sequel to the critically acclaimed 2000 hit GladiatorWith the upcoming sequel focusing on mostly all-new characters in an all-new story. One of the biggest new additions to Gladiator II is Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, a former slave who has the ambition to overthrow the Roman Empire. The first trailer for Gladiator II Makes it seem like Macrinus is mostly operating in the background, pulling strings in order to get Paul Mescal’s Lucius to take down Roman Empire for him.
Denzel Washington’s Gladiator 2 Role Could Be Best Actor Campaign at the Oscars (Not Endorsed)
Meaning he’s in the movie more than we think
Although Denzel Washington’s Macrinus does not seem to be the main character of the film, it looks like he may be campaigning for the best actor award at the Oscars instead of best supporting actor. According to Varietys Official Oscar predictions, it looks like Denzel Washington’s role in Gladiator II Is important enough that he can go either way, with the film has the potential to get him a best actor nomination. It looks like the chances of the actor’s awards will depend on what direction the studio campaigns for, meaning it is possible that Washington could be more than a supporting actor.
Awards season always has a lot of politics involved, so it’s entirely possible that this is all speculation and that Denzel Washington is nominated for Best Supporting Actor. After all, it would be difficult to campaign for best actor nominations for Denzel Washington as well as Paul Mescal, who is undoubtedly the protagonist of Gladiator II. The advertising for Gladiator II Nor does Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius as the film’s second biggest character, not Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, making his best actor potential even stranger.
Related
Is Denzel Washington the main villain of Gladiator 2?
Or is it Pedro Pascal?
The role of Denzel Washington’s Macrinus in Gladiator II is a bit mysterious, with the film not letting on if he will be the true main villain. When looking for an antagonist in the upcoming sequel, it seems obvious to point the finger at Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius. After all, the Roman Empire encompassed every villain in the first GladiatorAnd since Lucius’ goal seems to be to take the empire down, it only makes sense for a Roman figurehead like Marcus Acacius to be the main villain.
however, Denzel Washington’s Macrinus has all the makings of a twisted villain. Macrinus is clearly manipulating Lucius, with him pulling the strings in the shadows while Lucius appears to be acting as the public face of Macrinus’ revolution. It is entirely possible that Macrinus and Lucius were completely aligned in their goals, with Macrinus acting as more of a mentor than a threat. However, it would be weird to have the element of someone controlling Lucius without them ever getting into trouble Gladiator IIs history.
Related
Denzel Washington is less likely to be the Proximo version of Gladiator 2
He seems to have more sinister intentions
When drawing parallels between Gladiator And Gladiator IIThe most obvious comparison to Denzel Washington’s sequel character is Proximo. While Proximo was the well-intentioned mentor of Russell Crowe’s Maximus in the original movie, Macrinus seems less pure. The trailer for Gladiator II highlights that Macrinus is more aggressive and sarcastic than Proximo, meaning that he may end up making rash or even intentionally villainous decisions later in the movie.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Lucius turn against Macrinus at some point Gladiator IISomething that didn’t happen in the original film. Since Lucius is a blood relative of those in charge of the Roman Empire, Macrinus’ radical approach to taking down Rome could put the two at odds, painting Macrinus in more of a villainous light. Casting an actor as great as Denzel Washington means that Gladiator II Had to have a bigger plan for the character as it is left on, with this being one of the most exciting parts of the sequel.
Source: Variety