InGladiator II, Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius, a Roman general who trained directly underGladiator’sprotagonist, Maximus, which means Pascal’s character could potentially cast a dark shadow over Maximus' legacy. Set to release at the end of November,Gladiator IIis the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandal hit,Gladiator.The movie followsMaximus' son, Lucius, as he gets revenge for his family’s deaths by fighting in the Colosseum as a gladiator.Though Russell Crowe will not be returning for the upcoming sequel, Maximus' influence will be all over the movie- in both good and bad ways.
The most obvious connection to Maximus inGladiator IIis Lucius. Paul Mescal’s character is not only the son of Maximus, but his story is almost completely identical. Just like Maximus fought as a gladiator for his murdered family, Lucius is doing the same. However,Lucius' story will certainly diverge from his father’sin some ways, and this could reflect positively or negatively on both father and son. On top of that, Marcus Acacius is another character who will offer hints as to Maximus' legacy because he trained underneath him, proving what kind of general Maximus really was.
How Acacius Acts As A General Will Directly Reflect On Maximus' Leadership
What Gladiator II Already Hints About Acacius
InGladiator II,audiences will have the chance to see whether Maximus was truly a good general through the actions of Marcus Acacius.A major aspect of Acacius' characteris that he trained under Maximus, so he is Maximus' prodigy and successor. Of course, Acacius likely has his own morals and ideas about what is right and wrong, but regardless, his ability as a soldier will show what kind of teacher Maximus was. Based on the trailer alone,it seems that Acacius will not only be a strong fighter, but perhaps a persuasive leader as well.
In this way, Acacius seems to be a character who toes the line between good and bad, and only time will tell whether Acacius is a man audiences can trust.
In reality, the character of Marcus Acacius will be particularly interesting to watch, as he seems to fill both a hero and villain role. According toGladiator II’ssynopsis,Acacius is the Roman general who is responsible for the deaths of Lucius' wife and child, which immediately paints him as a bad guy. However, Acacius later becomes a gladiator because he refuses to send more men to their deaths. In this way, Acacius seems to be a character who toes the line between good and bad, and only time will tell whether Acacius is a man audiences can trust.
Acacius Will Ruin Maximus' Legacy If He’s A Poor General In Gladiator 2
Acacius' Character Goes Beyond Being General
The main way in which Acacius might ruin Maximus' reputation is if he is a poor general. The beginning ofGladiatorquickly establishes that Maximus was an amazing general who led Rome to victory. In fact, he was so good that Marcus Aurelius wanted Maximus to become regent rather than his son, Commodus. In this way,Maximus is clearly a very talented person, and if he taught Acacius, then Acacius should also be as spectacularas Maximus. If he isn’t, that could spell out some potential negatives for Maximus' legacy in Rome and for audiences.
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Arguably, Acacius' reflections on Maximus go beyond being a general. It will be difficult to see Acacius failing as a general because of Maximus' tutelage, but it may be even worse to discover that he is a generally bad man. While this wouldn’t necessarily be Maximus' fault,it would show that Maximus' goodness was unable to be passed down after his death. Acacius could represent the corruption of Rome and the ways in which Maximus failed, even if he did take down Commodus atthe end ofGladiator.Altogether,Gladiator II’sconnections to the first movie complicate the characters' dynamics.
Acacius' Connection To Maximus Is A Risk For Gladiator 2
How Maximus' Legacy Affects Gladiator II
Although Acacius will no doubt be an intriguing character, his performance definitely creates some more serious stakes inGladiator II.Maximus was not only the protagonist of 2000’sGladiator,but was really a main reason why the movie performed so well. Crowe’s portrayal of Maximus was incredibly moving, andGladiator IIhas a responsibility to honor his image, especially since Crowe won’t be returningin any capacity. Lucius definitely has the chance to rise to his father’s level of success, but Acacius puts a wrench in this because he may be a poor general or a bad guy.
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Of course, Maximus’s legacy won’t completely make or breakGladiator II,but it’s certainly important. Even withGladiator II’sstar-studded cast, there’s a chance that the movie won’t live up to what Crowe did in 2000. The movie not only has to captivate audiences, but it has to evoke the same feelings of justice and inspiration. If Acacius sullies Maximus' reputation, then viewers may feel like they’ve lost one of their biggest heroes. Therefore,it’s important that Acacius' character reflects well on MaximusinGladiator II, so audiences don’t leave with a negative portrayal of the original protagonist.
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.
