WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Gladiator II.
Ridley Scott’s last film Gladiator II makes a big change to the original ending of its 2000 Oscar winner Gladiator. After the long-awaited release of Gladiator II On November 22, 2024, the epic blockbuster sequel received mostly positive reviews and a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 71%. Paul Mescal leads the cast of Gladiator II alongside Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen, who reprises her role as Lucilla, the mother of Lucius de Mescal. Gladiator II the box office grossed an impressive $55 million in its opening weekend, setting it up to become one of Ridley Scott’s highest-grossing films.
While initial public consensus isn’t exactly giving Gladiator II with the same Oscar buzz as its predecessor, it’s still up for several categories, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Denzel Washington. Reviews for Gladiator II placed it in a similar realm to the original action classic, although the film only features Maximus actor and Oscar winner Russell Crowe in flashbacks from the original. Gladiator II takes place about 16 years later Gladiator ends but it introduces an additional scene that extends the ending of the original film and reveals why Lucilla became separated from her and Máximo’s son, Lúcio.
How Gladiator 2 Adds a New Scene to Gladiator’s Ending
Gladiator II reveals what happened moments after Maximus’ death
Near the end of Gladiator IIwhich takes several direct inspirations from the original film, a flashback scene reveals what happened to Lúcio and Lucilla moments after Maximus killed Commodus in the Coliseum. The new scene shows Maximus’ body being removed from the arena while Lucilla picks up Lucius and speaks to him in a hidden location outside the Colosseum. With tears in his eyes, young Lúcio hears his mother tell him that he must flee Rome immediately because he is the only true heir to the throne of Rome and is in less danger outside the city walls than within it after Commodus’ death.
With Lucius out of the picture, Rome would be deprived of its true leader for nearly two decades, until Lucius returned and defied the odds to reclaim the throne that was once his. At the end of the additional scene, Lucilla orders a Roman soldier to put Lucius on a horse and take him out of the city immediately.. Lucius ends up in Numidia, which is far from Rome on the north coast of Africa, where he becomes known as “Hanno”. He marries his wife, Arishat, who is killed after Acadius and a Roman fleet take the city in the name of Lucius’ true empire. In the end, Lucius would make himself known, but he would lose his mother in the process.
Why Lucilla sent Lucius away after Gladiator ended
Lucius had a target on his back immediately after Commodus’ death
Lucilla felt she had no choice but to send Lucius away so he would be safe. after Commodus’ death. With the throne now open and Lucius the only legitimate heir, she suspected that there would certainly be conspiracies and usurpers who wished to kill Lucius and claim the throne for themselves. Lucilla knew firsthand, especially through Maximus’ flagrant mistreatment, how Rome could treat even its bravest heroes. Lucius himself states this to Rome like a gladiator, knowing full well who he really is and showing Rome firsthand the “poison” that exists in his essence.
Knowing that Lucius would become a noble and capable leader, Lucilla feared that his integrity and natural ability as Emperor would put a target on his back.. He was also just a boy at the time and therefore more helpless. She knew that, as Maximus’ son, he would be able to fight his way back to Rome when the time was right. It seems, however, that Lucilla may have given up hope that Lucius was still alive at some point, or just grew tired of the mundane routines of his royal role, as she was surprised to see him as an adult years later. In the end, his plan to hide Lucius until he was old enough to fend for himself worked and Rome found its true ruler.
Gladiator 2 revamps the original film
Gladiator II expands on the original’s motifs and characters
Gladiator II adds several significant scenes and information that expand on the original film. In addition to the addition of the Lucilla and Lucius scene, the sequel also confirms what was suggested to be true in the original film, by confirming that Maximus is Lucius’ father. The sequel also builds on many of the original film’s original themes and motifs. very directly, going even deeper into the “dream of Rome“ideology and the famous”what we do in life echoes in eternity“line. In a way, Gladiator II it feels like a remake of the original action epic with several direct expansions to its story and characters.