Gladiator 2 is officially happening, and there are plenty of characters who can return for the sequel. 2000's Gladiator is one of Ridley Scott's classic films, with the movie starring Russell Crowe being well-remembered decades after its release. After all this time, a Gladiator sequel is finally happening, which is quite strange due to the ending of the original film. However, with only a few basic plot details available, it is already clear which Gladiator characters have a good chance of returning in Gladiator 2.

Gladiator is a brutal period piece, featuring all kinds of real-life historical figures in large-scale heightened action scenes. However, Gladiator doesn't exactly seem like a film that needs a sequel at first glance due to how the film ended. Nearly every character in Gladiator dies, including Russell Crowe's Maximus, Joaquin Phoenix's villainous Commodus, and the majority of the rest of the film's main cast. However, Gladiator 2 has managed to pull a story from the rubble that is the chaos of the first film, and since some characters did survive, there are plenty of options as to who can show up in Gladiator 2.


One of the few details that have been confirmed about Gladiator 2's story is that it will focus on Lucius, a character from the original film. In the first Gladiator, Lucius is the young nephew of emperor Commodus. While his story departs slightly from the real-life historical figure, Lucius is the successor to Commodus, presumably becoming emperor after his death at the end of Gladiator. Lucius has a fairly small role in Gladiator, but he seems to finally be stepping into the spotlight in Gladiator 2.

Paul Mescal is set to play Lucius in Gladiator 2, meaning that the film will focus on an adult version of the character. Unlike his uncle, Lucius actually looked up to Maximus in the original film, meaning that his story in Gladiator 2 may feature his conflicting beliefs regarding his political position and his admiration for the deceased gladiator. While centering Gladiator 2 around a character as small as Lucius is a risky move, it definitely is an interesting path forward for the franchise.


Lucilla is the older sister of Commodus and the mother of Lucius in the original Gladiator, with her surprisingly surviving at the end of the film. Since the film is focusing on her son, it seems likely that she could appear, whether it just be a cameo or a major role in Gladiator 2. Lucilla is probably the biggest character that didn't die in Gladiator, meaning that it would be an odd choice not to bring Connie Nielsen's character back for the sequel.


One of Djimon Hounsou's breakout roles was that of Juba in Gladiator, and his return in Gladiator 2 seems pretty likely due to Hounsou's ever-growing star power. Juba is Maximus' closest friend in the original film, assisting him on his quest to kill Commodus. Unlike Maximus, however, Juba is one of the few slaves that live, with one of Maximus' last wishes being that Juba would be set free. Juba is probably the living character with the greatest connection to Maximus, meaning that bringing him back for Gladiator 2 would be a good idea.


Considering that Gladiator 2 will focus on the new emperor or Rome, it only makes sense for some of Gladiator's big political figures to return. Senator Gracchus is a member of the Senate in Gladiator, with him being against Commodus' coup attempt and subsequent rule. Despite his opposition to the self-proclaimed emperor, Senator Gracchus lives through the film, leaving the door open for him to return in Gladiator 2. While the timeline might make this difficult, Gladiator is far from the most historically accurate movie. Another option is that Senator Gracchus could appear in a flashback or prologue during the events of Gladiator 2.