Do you want to know if Gladiator II has a post- or mid-credits scene? We’ll tell you right here: There are no scenes after the credits.
Full spoilers follow for Gladiator II. If you haven’t seen the film yet, check out our review first!
After almost 25 years, director Ridley Scott returns to one of his most acclaimed films with Gladiator II. The sequel to the 2000 Best Picture winner starring Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, this new film instead follows Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus (he was played as a child by Spencer Treat Clark in the original), who’s all grown up and ready to enter the arena himself. It’s a sprawling saga of swords, sandals and schemes, and features a healthy helping of gladiator action.
So how does Gladiator II play out? Let’s gear up and get our Roman Empire on.
Call of the Colosseum
Gladiator II opens 16 years after the original film, and pulls something of a reset on the status quo. It turns out Maximus giving one motivational speech before he died didn’t fix Rome forever, since the empire is now ruled by sibling emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), who haven’t exactly lived up to the ideals espoused by Maximus. If anything, the new emperors are a pair of deranged brats who repeatedly send their general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) to conquer lands that were doing well enough on their own. Acacius’ latest campaign is to Numidia in North Africa, where he crosses paths with our protagonist, Lucius.
We learn important new information about Lucius in this film: Not only is it confirmed that he is Maximus’ biological son (this was hinted at in the original but not stated outright), but also that his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) spirited him away from Rome after Maximus’ death out of fear of people learning his true identity. Now a grown man married to fellow warrior Arishat (Yuval Gonen), Lucius does his best to help defend his adopted homeland of Numidia from the Roman invaders, but comes up short. Arishat is killed, Numidia is conquered, and the survivors are taken as prisoners of war before eventually falling into the hands of arms dealer and gladiator trainer Macrinus (Denzel Washington). Desiring revenge on Acacius for Arishat’s death, Lucius makes a deal with Macrinus to be his champion in the arena so long as he eventually gets a shot at the general.
What makes all of this more complicated is that we soon learn that Acacius isn’t all that bad of a guy. It turns out he is now married to Lucilla (making Lucius his unknowing stepson), and is plotting to overthrow the emperors because of their bloodlust. Acacius shares the values of Maximus as laid down by the previous emperor Marcus Aurelius, of a Rome where power rested with the people represented by the Senate. But Acacius’ plan runs counter to the machinations of Macrinus, who is secretly plotting to ascend to the throne by gaining favor with the emperors before playing them against each other.
We know that’s a lot of moving parts to keep track of, but don’t worry, we’ll help you sort it all out.
Gladiator II Ending Explained
After surviving a handful of battles in the Colosseum, Lucius finally gets his chance to fight Acacius after Macrinus reveals the general’s plot to the emperors, leading them to condemn Acacius to death in the arena. Acacius pleads with Lucius during the fight, telling him that he loved Maximus, and that he doesn’t want to force Lucilla to watch one of her loved ones kill the other. He finally seems to get through to Lucius, who lays down his arms only for the emperors to order Acacius executed by their archers. Finally realizing that his revenge quest was for nothing, Lucius reconciles with his mother just in time for her to also face condemnation for her part in Acacius’ plot.
At the same time, Macrinus makes his move by tricking Caracalla into attacking Geta, and helps him decapitate his brother. Appointed as second counsel by Caracalla (first counsel goes to his pet monkey Dundus, in the movie’s funniest moment), Macrinus is now more powerful than the Senate. We also finally learn Macrinus’ motivation, when he tells Lucilla that he was once a gladiator slave for her father, Marcus Aurelius, and that he vowed to one day get revenge by ruling the empire that once kept him in chains. Knowing that he’s outlived his usefulness to Macrinus, Lucius gives a ring that had belonged to Acacius to Ravi (Alexander Karim), a former gladiator and now healer who’s been patching him up between arena bouts. He tells Ravi to take the ring to Acacius’ army, and say that it’s being sent from “the prince of Rome.”
Caracalla and Macrinus order Lucilla and her conspirator senators to the arena to be slaughtered by his Praetorian guards, with Lucius acting as their sole defender in an obvious ploy to execute all their enemies in one swoop. Instead, Lucius turns the tables by setting free all the other gladiators, who join him in battle against the Emperor’s troops. Macrinus takes advantage of the commotion to kill Caracalla, before firing an arrow at and killing Lucilla. Macrinus flees the arena on horseback, with Lucius in hot pursuit. They’re then cornered at the city’s edge by Acacius’ army, while the Emperor’s troops come in from the other direction. With nowhere to go, Lucius and Macrinus fight one on one, with Lucius emerging victorious by slicing off Macrinus’ arm and leaving his body in the river.
With all other contenders to the throne dead, Lucius makes a speech to both armies, saying that it’s finally time for Rome to ascend to glory by following the ideals of Maximus and allowing the people to have power. The movie ends with Lucius mourning his loved ones in the empty Colosseum.
Does Gladiator II Set Up Gladiator 3?
Unlike its predecessor, Gladiator II ends with its hero still alive. Director Ridley Scott has already confirmed that he has ideas for a hypothetical Gladiator III, which would presumably continue the adventures of Lucius Verus.
Scott said the following to Variety in September: “The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?’ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
That said, Gladiator II doesn’t leave many obvious threads for a sequel to pull on, with all the villains killed and, despite what Scott said above, Lucius’ journey seemingly finished.
Does Gladiator II Have a Post-Credits Scene?
As mentioned earlier, there are no post- or mid-credits scenes in Gladiator II.
But what did you think of Gladiator II? Were you satisfied with this sequel? Do you also want to see more sharks in the next movie like I do? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Gladiator II is out in international markets now. It will open in US theaters on Nov. 22.
Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.
