Djimon Hounsou was originally meant to return as Juba inGladiator II, and I think I’ve figured out what his role would be and how the movie happened without him. Hounsou was one of Russell Crowe’s main co-stars in Ridley Scott’s originalGladiator, as he played Juba, a fighter from Nubia who is thrown into the gladiator arena with Maximus. He survivedGladiator’s ending, giving me some hope that he’d return in the sequel once it was officially announced. For some time, it appeared that this would happen, asreports circulated that Hounsou would be inGladiator 2.
Disappointment came when it was later revealed that Honsou’s Juba was amongGladiator 2’s missing characters. The actor confirmed the news, citing"a pure accident"but assuring that"I was going to be part of it.“The reasonwhy Djimon Hounsou is not inGladiator 2is still somewhat murky, although scheduling conflicts are the most likely explanation. Regardless of the reason, his absence and planned role meantGladiator 2had to change and evolve to be a story without Hounsou’s Juba. After watching the movie, I realized what story he could have initially been involved in.
Gladiator 2’s Numidia Sequence Creates A Connection To Djimon Hounsou’s Juba
The Africa Location Brings Gladiator 2 Close To Juba
When looking atGladiator 2and trying to figure out where Juba could have fit in, one must first consider what would have happened to the character afterGladiator’s ending. He is freed from being a gladiator once Maximus kills Commodus and declares the slaves are free. He’s last seen burying Maximus' figures of his wife and son in the sand of the Colosseum before he likely leaves Rome for good. Since Juba was originally from Nubia before he was captured, it would make sense for him to return to Africa and try to find his wife and son.
Although the majority ofGladiator 2takes place in Rome, the opening sequence with Lucius explores his life in Numidia, a northern part of Africa, as the Roman army approaches for battle. This gives the movie a minor but potentially important connection to Juba.Numidia and Nubia are both located in the northern part of Africa.Gladiator 2could have had Lucius find a new life for himself in any part of the world. Scott’s decision to have him settle down in the northern regions of Africa is notable because of Juba’s origin.
It is possible thatGladiator 2’s Numidia battlewas originally meant to be a sequence set in Nubia to more directly connect to Juba. However, Numidia also could be where Djimon Hounsou’s character was meant to reside all those years afterGladiator. He could have found his lost family and traveled to this new region to start a new life for themselves, one where they believed they’d be safe from the Roman Empire. In any case, this is the part ofGladiator 2that makes the most sense for Juba to have been involved before Hounsou couldn’t appear.
Djimon Hounsou’s Juba Was Likely Replaced By Peter Mensah’s Character In Gladiator 2
Juguratha Very Easily Could’ve Been Juba
Since it’s confirmed that Hounsou was meant to return as Juba inGladiator 2,Ridley Scott would’ve been left with two options that did not involve recasting once the actor’s return became impossible. The first would be to completely rewrite the script and remove the sequences that Juba was involved in. The second option would be rewriting the script to a lesser degree to replace Juba with a brand-new character. The latter would be easier for Scott and writers David Scarpa and Peter Craig, which could be howGladiator 2came to include Peter Mensah’s Juguratha.
Juguratha is introduced inGladiator 2as the chieftain of Numidia and a mentor to Lucius. He’s responsible for leading the Numidian army into battle with Rome and accompanies Lucius in the slave trade afterward. Mensah’s character plays a pivotal role early on thanks to how close his relationship with Lucius is. It’s clear from his standing in Numidia thatJuguratha was a skilled warrior in his pastas well, although the injuries he sustained in the battle left him without much strength to fight the baboons later on.
Gladiator 2: All 7 Original Movie Character Replacements
Gladiator II is an entertaining follow-up to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, and several major players feel like echoes of characters from the original.
Although it’s not confirmed, and Scott has not addressed it, I think that Juguratha replaced Juba once Hounsou could not reprise his role. Both characters are wise leaders and skilled fighters, andit’s easy to imagine Juba occupying the same role in the narrative. There’s not many other places where Hounsou’s character would naturally fit intoGladiator 2’s story based on how it is currently constructed. But with only a few minor changes, Juba could have easily played the same role as Juguratha.
As for the timeline of how these events could have played out, there’s a short window for it to work. Djimon Hounsou’s expectedGladiator 2return was first reported on August 21, 2025, byTHR, but Peter Mensah was cast a few weeks later on July 03, 2025. It’s worth noting thatHounsou’s return was never officially confirmed ahead of Mensah’s casting, possibly because everyone was still trying to work out the schedule. It’s possible, though, that Scott already sensed that it wouldn’t work before April 28th and wrote Juba out and Juguratha in.
Djimon Hounsou Could’ve Improved Gladiator 2 If This Theory About Juba’s Role Is Right
Juba’s Potential Gladiator 2 Role Would’ve Helped The Movie
My theory about Juba’s original role inGladiator 2shows an example of how the movie could have been slightly better. Peter Mensah does a great job as Juguratha, but the character is a fresh face, and he dies too early on to get attached. This would not be the case with Juba.Seeing Djimon Hounsou return to the role and fight alongside Lucius would’ve been a great momentfor the franchise. Furthermore, his death would have a greater impact on viewers like myself who are fans of the original film or Hounsou as a performer.
This proposed role for Juba also would have meant thatGladiator 2would see one of Maximus' best allies in the arena go on to mentor his son. Given Lucius' secret identity at this time, there’s a chance that neither of them would fully realize how their paths are connected. If anything, Lucius could have recognized Juba and known about his history in Rome while keeping his actual name a secret.Gladiator 2could have also taken a different approach and explained that Lucius went to Numidia specifically to be protected by a trusted ally of his biological father.
AlthoughGladiator 2references Maximus and the original movie a bit too much at times, including Juba in this capacity would still have benefited the film.I would have loved to learn what happened to Hounsou’s character next, and the idea of him directly interacting withMaximus' sonhas the potential for great emotional scenes. All the moments of Juguratha and Lucius that callback to Juba and Maximus would be that much more powerful and resonate deeper with viewers.
Djimon Hounsou’s Gladiator 2 Absence Allows For A Better Return In Gladiator 3
Ridley Scott Is Already Thinking About Another Gladiator Movie
As much as I would’ve loved to see Djimon Hounsou return forGladiator 2, his absence may be a blessing in disguise if his role was originally meant to mirror Juguratha’s arc. There is now the opportunity for Juba to be featured inGladiator 3. Ridley Scott is developing another movie in the franchise and has confirmed some of the script has already been written. While there’s no timetable for whenGladiator 3will be released, it should happen much sooner than the gap between the first two films. This could mean Hounsou gets another chance to return as Juba.
Gladiator 3 has yet to be officially announced and dated by Paramount
Figuring out how and where Juba could factor intoGladiator 3is difficult without knowing exactly where Scott plans to take the franchise next. However, Lucius - and possibly even Maximus - are sure to be involved in what comes afterGladiator 2’s ending. If word spreads of what Lucius did and his connection to Maximus, that could lead Juba to seek him out and congratulate him on finishing the goal that his father had started. That might give Hounsou a much better role in a third film than he could have had inGladiator II.
