An early reaction toGladiator IIpromises that the sequel film will be more violent than the original. Ridley Scott’sGladiatorwas first released in 2000 and went on to receive acclaim, including an Oscar for Best Picture. Over two decades later, Scott returns withGladiator II, which will continue to explore Maximus' legacy after his death.Gladiator IIfeatures a leading castincluding Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington, and Paul Mescal. It is set for release on November 22.
PerGQ,Gladiator IIhas gotten an initial reaction that discusses the level of violence in the sequel film. An early viewer claims that thesequel film is “much bigger rawer, and more violent"than 2000’sGladiator. The source also breaks down how exactly that violence manifests. They write that it was beyond just “the sprawling battle sequences” but “also the man-to-man scrappy combat” featured in theGladiatorsequel. They note that audiences “will spend much of the movie mid-wince.” Check out the full statement below:
It is much bigger, rawer, and more violent than the original. The sprawling battle sequences, yes, but also the man-to-man scrappy combat. You will spend much of the movie mid-wince.
What This Reaction Means For Gladiator II
The First Gladiator Was Already Violent
This initial reaction is quite surprising forGladiator II, as the first one is fairly violent. Even if moments of blood were fairly brief in the 2000 film,the historical epic was noted for being grisly and fairly realistic. Characters treated bloody, goopy wounds, and people were even seen being cut in half or dismembered.Gladiatoralso featured large-scale battle scenes with a high death count. ForGladiator IIto not only match but top this violence is notable, as it means the film will be ultra-violent.
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It is also interesting to hear this reactionemphasize the smaller-scale, “man-to-man” based violence. Thepublicity surroundingGladiator IIhas done a lot to emphasize the massive scale of the second film. This included behind-the-scenes videos showing howGladiator IIrebuilt the Colosseum and other major set pieces. If this initial response proves to be accurate, it will be interesting to see howGladiator IIbalances the display of the grandiose and impactful, smaller-scale moments of combat.
Will More Violence Be Better For Gladiator II?
Gladiator II Should Proceed With Caution
While this reaction is enticing, there is something that makes me apprehensive about the description ofGladiator II’s violence. While “scrappy” gore could make the film more raw and realistic, I worry about the sequel striving for titillating violence over a strong narrative arc. Hopefully, Scott has craftedGladiator IIin such a way that the use of violence is not a disservice toGladiator II, but a helpful tool to display the brutal violence of the time period.
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.
