| Gladiator II | |
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_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ridley Scott |
| Screenplay by | David Scarpa |
| Story by |
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| Based on | Characters created by David Franzoni |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Mathieson |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 148 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $250–310 million[1] |
Gladiator II is an upcoming epic historical action film directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), the film was written by David Scarpa from a story he wrote with Peter Craig. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington. Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprise their roles from the first film. It was produced by Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment and Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The story follows Lucius, the former heir to the Roman Empire and son of Maximus and Lucilla, who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman army led by Marcus Acacius. Lucius seeks revenge against Acacius and fights as a gladiator for Macrinus, a former slave who plots to overthrow the emperors Caracalla and Geta.
A sequel to Gladiator was discussed as early as June 2001, with David Franzoni and John Logan set to return as screenwriters. Over the next few years, Scott offered occasional updates, including the possible involvement of the original film's lead actor, Russell Crowe, along with plot ideas about the Roman afterlife and different historical time periods. Development was halted when DreamWorks sold the rights to the property to Paramount in 2006. The film was finally announced in 2018, and Mescal was cast in the lead role in January 2023, with a script by Scarpa. The rest of the cast signed on over the next several months. Filming took place between June 2023 and January 2024, with a five-month hiatus due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.
Gladiator II is scheduled to be released in Australia and New Zealand on November 14, 2024, the United Kingdom on November 15, and in the United States on November 22. A sequel, Gladiator III, is in early stages of development.