Gladiator 2’s age rating has arrived, and it continues a Ridley Scott trend from the original film. Scott returns to the director’s chair for the anticipated upcoming sequel to 2000’sGladiator. TheGladiator 2storytakes place roughly 20 years after the end of the first film, followingLucius (Paul Mescal) as he becomes a hero of the gladiatorial arena. Trailers have thus far teased that the film will feature many returning elements from the acclaimed original.
FilmRatings.comnow reveals thatGladiator 2will be rated R, just like its predecessor. The film earned the rating for “strong bloody violence,” which is slightly different from the “intense, graphic combat” that earned the original an R. While the specifics of the rating may be different, audiences are clearly in for a violent ride.
Paul Mescal’s Lucius In Gladiator 2 Explained: Sequel Plot, Recasting & True Story
As the main character of Gladiator 2, Paul Mescal’s Lucius has been given quite a bit of attention in new images and interviews for the epic sequel.
Gladiator 2 Wouldn’t Have Worked Without An R Rating
How The R Rating Helped Ridley Scott’s Original
Reviews for the originalGladiatorare generally very positive, andthe film is widely regarded as one of Scott’s best.Crowe’s strong performance, a great score from Hans Zimmer, and the movingGladiatorendingare all reasons why the film is so well-regarded, but bloody, hard-hitting action is undoubtedly another key ingredient. In the film’s opening 10 minutes, viewers witness Maximus leading a Roman army against a barbarian horde, and the resulting clash is a graphic one.
2000’sGladiatorsports an 80% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes, with the audience score coming in even higher at 87%.
The action itself is a core part of whyGladiatorworks so well, and the graphic nature of the violence helps to reinforce the stakes. The opening battle demonstrates Maximus' prowess as a warrior, and the subsequent gladiator fights are bloody and many characters don’t make it out alive. TheR-rated killing on screen helps to transport viewers into the terror of the gladiatorial arena, and reinforces that, though this may be a form of entertainment for those in the stands, it’s life or death for those doing the fighting.
IfGladiator 2had instead opted for a PG-13 rating, which would have, in theory, allowed more viewers to go check it out in theaters, those who enjoyed the first film likely would have felt disappointed. Not only would this have felt like a cynical, business-driven decision, it may also have taken power away from Lucius' own journey and the dangers of his experiences in the Colosseum. Thankfully, however, it looks likeGladiator 2will be just as violent as the original.
$103 million
$451 million
80%
87%
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.
