Denzel Washington has teased the dark side of hisGladiator IIcharacter, Macrinus, implying how he gained so much power and why he wants more. TheupcomingGladiator IIfocuses on an older Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), who seeks revenge on Emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn) after Roman soldiers invade Numidia and kill his wife. After being captured by the Empire, he becomes a gladiator, being taught under Macrinus, who holds his own ambitions for power in the Roman Empire.
Speaking withScreen Rant,Washington explained the dark side of Macrinus that will be revealed inGladiator II, teasing a tough upbringing that made him more secretly cunning politically. He also mentions multiple times how he is “in bed with the devil,” teasing that this emphasizes his decision to conquer everything he can. It also means he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants, even if it means manipulating situations to benefit himself. Check out what Washington had to say below:
We don’t have enough time for all of that, but he came up the hard way. The long way, the slow way. And he knows how to work from the rear, from the back of the room. He’s in bed with the devil and he wants to dominate, destroy, and own everything and everyone.
He made a decision. He got in bed with the dark side. He wants to dominate, control the entire empire, and he’ll use anyone to do it and he’ll do anything to get what he wants.
What Washington’s Statement Means For Macrinus In Gladiator 2
Lucius' Mentor May Have Secrets Of His Own
Out of all thecharacters inGladiator II,Macrinus is one of the most central, his mentorship of Lucius to help him in his quest for revenge parallel to his own. While the arms dealer’s full backstory has yet to be revealed, his quest to usurp the twin emperors indicates a dark past that has pushed him to the actions he takes. Not only does he train gladiators, but he also offers food and oil to European armies, indicating he profits from Rome being at war, and that he wants conflict to benefit his personal agenda.
Denzel Washington Is Breaking His Sequel Drought For Gladiator 2, And It Could Define The Next 10 Years Of His Movie Career
Gladiator II is Denzel Washington’s second sequel and first appearance in an existing franchise, and it may define his career for the next 10 years.
In terms of thereal historical figureGladiator II’s Macrinus is based on, he sought power in much the same way as his on-screen rendition, orchestrating events to rise to rule. However,it’s unclear how much of history will be accurate in Ridley Scott’s movie, meaning there could be some liberties taken with his character to offer a darker side to him than history shows. What this means is unclear, but Washington’s words could signal a secret his character harbors that no one knows about yet.
Our Take On Macrinus' Dark Side In Gladiator 2
He Won’t Be A Noble Hero
Although Macrinus is going to play an important role in Lucius' development as a gladiator, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be a noble hero trying to save Rome. Instead, we believeGladiator IIwill put him in a gray area, someone who is trying to overthrow tyrannical rulers, but who is, to some extent, a tyrant as well. While it’s unclear how his character will develop during the movie, it could harbor some major surprises throughout its winding storyline.
Ridley Scott has already announced thatGladiator IIIis in development, and will go forward if the reception toGladiator IIis good.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
