Notice! This post contains SPOILERS for Gladiator II
By Ridley Scott Gladiator IIIt is heavily implied that Denzel Washington’s Macrinus is bisexual. Presented as a cunning member of the Roman elite who gains friends and influence by buying slaves and turning them into gladiators, Macrinus is as ruthless as he is charismatic. Furthermore, it is provoked on more than one occasion that Gladiator II Primary antagonist is attracted to both men and women.
Set 16 years after the events of Ridley Scott’s first film Gladiator film, Rome is full of corruption and has fallen under the rule of twin emperors, Geta (Joeseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Likewise, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is the adult son of the late Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) and the secret heir to the Roman throne as the grandson of Marcus Aurelius, following in his father’s footsteps as a slave-turned-gladiator under the control of Macrinus, who seeks to govern Rome himself. To that end, it is confirmed both off-screen and in that Gladiator II Macrinus is more than likely bisexual in the new sequel.
Gladiator 2 Suggests Macrinus Is Bisexual
It is implied that Macrinus doesn’t just prefer women
One of the first moments where Denzel Washington’s Macrinus is teased as being bisexual in Gladiator II comes during a conversation with one of her Roman allies about Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla and the fate of her son Lucius, who was believed to be lost shortly after the deaths of Maximus and Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Already suspicious of the true identity of his gladiator, Macrinus discovers that there were false rumors that Commodus was Lucius’ father, despite being Lucilla’s brother. However, Macrinus is also informed that Commodus was apparently not attracted to women, to which Macrinus responds that on some days the same happens to himself.
With this answer in mind, It’s not hard to guess from this scene Gladiator II that Macrino is insinuating that some days he may prefer men to women. However, any verbal confirmation one way or another does not occur during this scene, nor any others in the new sequence. However, some key points were presented off-screen that further confirm Macrinus’ sexuality beyond what is seen solely on-screen.
Gladiator 2 “cuts” a same-sex kiss involving Macrinus
A point of debate between Washington and director Ridley Scott
It is important to note that Denzel Washington has said in interviews that Macrinus should be bisexual in Gladiator IIregardless of what is inherently seen or said on screen. Additionally, Washington recently claimed that a same-sex kiss between Macrinus and a Roman senator was ultimately cut from the film. As such, the character in question was likely Tim McInnerny’s Senator Thraex, one of Macrinus’s allies in the film who ends up owing him a large sum of money thanks to Lucius’ continued victories in the coliseum.
Thraex is also the senator who warns Macrinus of General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and his attempt to free Lucius at Lucilla’s request. In the same way, Macrinus and Thraex exchange several kisses on the cheeks, head and hands during a scene in Gladiator IIso it’s not hard to imagine that a straight kiss was cut off at some point. That said, director Ridley refuted these claims from Washington, having clarified that while the pair may have acted as if they shared a same-sex kiss before Macrinus killed a Roman senator, it was never filmed to begin with.
Would Macrinus being gay or bisexual fit in in Ancient Rome?
Most Emperors Were Bisexual, According to Royal History
Although the real-life Macrinus was not bisexual, Denzel Washington’s Macrinus being bisexual in Gladiator II fits with what is known of ancient Roman history in general. After all, almost all Roman emperors were quite fluid in their sexual preferences, and almost none were heterosexual. To that end, it is a prominent facet of Ancient Roman society that appears to some extent with Macrinus and even more so with the film’s twin emperors, whom Macrinus eventually kills before Gladiator II final and final scenes.
Gladiator II is now showing in theaters.