It’s been more than two decades since we last saw Ridley’s Roman soldiers on our screens, so there’s a chance you’ll want to brush up on your knowledge. Here’s exactly what happens at the end of Gladiator and how it relates to the sequel:

Ridley Scott, a man notorious for not following the conventions of history, is a master of epic cinema classics. There was first gladiatorLater Napoleon…and now Gladiator again.

But it’s not all over again! Rumors that Russell Crowe will not return have been widely reported. new moviePaul Mescal takes the reins in her bright little army skirt.

The Colosseum also appears to be getting a makeover, filled with rhinos and sharks that can swallow a person whole. So what happened in the original Gladiator finale and how does it affect what we’re about to see?

Maximus was seen getting shot in the Gladiator finale

The end of Gladiator saw the death of MaximusInjured after stabbing Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in the throat during a duel.

Universal Pictures

Take your mind back to the year 2000. Crowe plays Maximus, the Roman general favored by Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Actually he For this reason He preferred that Aurelius ask Maximus to rule the country after he was gone, claiming that his son Commodus was unsuited for the job. Frankly, Commodus is having none of this when he realizes this, leading to Aurelius’ untimely death (murder).

Commodus declares himself the new Emperor, which results in Maximus being arrested by the Praetorian Guard. Your hero’s journey begins here; It progresses from ordinary Gladiators fighting for fun in local tournaments to fighting for their freedom in the Colosseum.

While doing this, he gains the support of the crowd. Under the guidance of former Gladiator Proximo (Oliver Reed), he spares the life of the undefeated Tigris of Gaul (Sven-Ole Thorsen), earning him the nickname “Maximus the Merciful”.

This angers Commodus when he helps Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Maximus’ former lover and Commodus’ sister, mount an attack against him. The old legions remain loyal to him, but things don’t go quite as planned. Maximus is captured at the meeting point after Commodus becomes suspicious of him and Lucilla. Lucius’ father is interrogated (more on this later), and Commodus demands an heir.

Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel to regain control and discretion. Maximus is stabbed before the match for Commodus to gain the advantage, but Maximus reveals a hidden blade to stab him in the throat. We watch Commodus die before Maximus heroically bleeds to death, demanding the fulfillment of Aurelius’ dream of the Gladiator’s salvation.

His body is carried out of the arena and we see him being honored as “a soldier of Rome.” Statues of his family were erected at the place where he died.

Where does Gladiator 2 start?

Just like in real time, Gladiator 2 takes place approximately 20 years after the events of the first film. – and hence after the death of Maximus.

Universal Pictures

Obviously the events of Gladiator will play a big role in what we see here… but almost none of the original characters will be returning. Makes sense considering they’re all dead.

However, Connie Nielsen returns as Lucilla, while Sir Derek Jacobi returns as Senator Gracchus, a member of the Senate who opposes Commodus’ rule.

Although Rome has changed in twenty years, it has not changed HE more. There’s a new general in the form of Pedro Pescal’s Marcus Acacius, whom Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracella (Fred Hechinger) think is just as corrupt as Commodus, if not worse.

Historically, this puts the timeline at around 211 AD, but it’s not yet known how similar the new movie will actually be to that time period (in the details, of course).

Son of Lucius Maximus?

Yes. Do you remember the little boy we saw in the original movie? 24 years later he is now grown up and his name is Lucius.

Paramount Pictures

When you start watching Gladiator, you’ll notice that Lucius is introduced as Commodus’ nephew. Officially, he is assumed to be the son of Lucius Verus, Lucilla’s husband before her death.

(It’s worth noting that Lucilla and Commodus are brother and sister, so the idea that Commodus wants an heir from her in the final scenes is…disturbing).

Anyway, surprise! After all, Lucius is Maximus’ son, and Lucilla has seen Maximus before when they were married. During their fight, we see him idolizing Maximus, asking questions about what it takes to be a top fighter. Maximus also tells him the meaning of his famous armored vest.

In the Gladiator finale, Lucilla drives Lucius away from Rome, predicting that bad things will happen to the city after the deaths of both Commodus and Maximus. Certainly, he is right…but that’s where Paul Mescal comes in.

How to watch

Obviously the sequel will go to theaters but Gladiator will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.