‘Gladiator 2’ Was “A Little Scary” to Film, Says Joseph Quinn

It might be the 21st Century but we are going back in time to height of Imperial Rome, to the Eternal City where amusement came in the form of fire and blood. The Colusseum will be our staging ground later this year when Gladiator II makes its arrival in theaters. The highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s epic, Gladiator, will seek to pay homage to the legacy of Maximus (Russell Crowe) – a Roman general who is tragically ensnared by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in a coup that removes Commodus’ own father, Caesar Marcus Aurelius. Joseph Quinn steps into the role of the Roman Emperor Caracalla, following in the footsteps of Phoenix’s Commodus. Describing the experience as “a little scary”, the actor discusses what it felt like stepping into the sequel of an iconic epic.

While speaking about the upcoming film with Entertainment Weekly, Quinn revealed everyone understood the weight of the project ahead, with the shadow of the original film looming over the set. “We all were very aware of the legacy of the first film,” Quinn revealed. “So many people get misty-eyed about it. So going anywhere near it again felt a little scary.” Quinn’s character was seen in teaser footage seen at CinemaCon giving the iconic thumbs-down signal, similar to those flashed by Phoenix’s Commodus in the original. When quizzed on whether he channeled any of Phoenix’s performance, Quinn answered, “Honestly, barely even thought about that.”

Rome Wasn’t Built In a Day

Describing his first time on set, coming face-to-face with the sheer size of the Colosseum built for the film, Quinn recalls, “It’s bonkers, it’s nuts.” Adding, “That’s the thing with working on a film like that, it changes your perspective on things. The fact that on a film of that scale, they built ancient Rome in Malta and to bear witness to that is truly awesome.” Connie Nielsen starred in the original Gladiator film as Commodus’s sister, Lucilla, Quinn recalls that having her on set acted as a calming presence to the young cast. Noting that Nielsen came in “to show us how to behave in the Colosseum,” adding, “I was very nervous about it, and she was a very calming presence. She’s a wonderful woman.”

Gladiator 2 will march gladiators into the theater when the film arrives on November 22. The film will see the return of Ridly Scott as director, and witness the arrival of Denzel Washington with Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprising their roles as Lucilla and Senator Gracchus, respectively. Paul Mescal will take on the role of Lucius Verus, the nephew of the villainous Commodus and the son of Commodus’s sister, Lucilla. He poses the greatest threat to reign of Quinn’s Caracalla.

Gladiator 2 officially arrives in theaters on Friday, November 22, 2024. Learn more about Gladiator 2 here in our handy guide.

Gladiator 2

Follows Lucius, the son of Maximus’ love Lucilla, after Maximus’ death.

Release Date

November 22, 2024

Writers

David Scarpa