Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Gladiator II.Taking place 16 years after the original film,Gladiator IIintroduces new characters andbrings back characters from the firstGladiatoras the fight for Rome’s freedom continues. While Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla is the most notable character who came back for director Ridley Scott’s sequel,Gladiator IIalso features actor Derek Jacobi reprising his role as Senator Gracchus. However, his return to the franchise left much to be desired.
The originalGladiatorsees Gracchus siding with Lucilla and trying to help free Russell Crowe’s Maximus, wise enough to see that Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) is a threat to Rome. However, in the sequel, Gracchus comes across as a mere nod to the previous installment in the story of Lucilla and her son Lucius (Paul Mescal), before his disappointing ending.Considering the role Gracchus had in the original film,Gladiator IIcould’ve done so much more with himin what could be theend of theGladiatorfranchise.
Gladiator 2 Doesn’t Do Much With Gracchus - And Gives Him A Disappointing Death
Gracchus Was Sidelined In Favor Of Newer Characters In Gladiator II
Like in the firstGladiatorfilm, Gracchus supports the plans set by Lucilla andPedro Pascal’s Acaciusto overthrow the corrupt Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Eve though he is a high-ranking member of this rebellion,it’s understandable that Gracchus doesn’t have an abundance of screen time inGladiator II,as the film needs to focus on expanding upon the main characters and the story at large. However, this small role wouldn’t have been so bad had the character impacted the sequel’s story more and received a more fitting ending.
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The outcome of Lucilla’s rebellion is driven by other characters. After it is discovered byEmperors Geta and Caracalla inGladiator II, Lucilla and her supporters are put into the Colosseum to be executed before the Roman public. Gracchus is among those captured and thrown into the arena, yet he is unceremoniously killed off. While hisdeath inGladiator IIhelps convey the unforgiving chaos of war,the fact that Lucilla has a more dramatic death only illustrates how lackluster Gracchus' demise is in the film.
The Real Gracchus Was More Interesting Than Gladiator’s Version
Gracchus’s Real-World Counterpart Lived And Died A Political Soldier
While Gracchus technically didn’t exist in real life, there was a Roman senator who shared his name. According toBritannica, Gaius Gracchus was a reformist politician whose brother was murdered in a political riot. Similar to theGladiatorcharacter,Gracchus sought to make sweeping changes to decrease the power of the Roman Senate, although this was not meant to turn Rome into a democracy.
The story of Gracchus could’ve been made into a solo film, but giving his character inGladiator IIa greater presence in the rebellion like his real-world counterpart could’ve still done him justice on the big screen.
Nevertheless, Gracchus received plenty of criticism from his political opponents for his ideas and acts of protest. Like his cinematic counterpart, Gracchus was killed after the Roman militia engaged in a violent uprising at Aventine Hill, butBritannicaclaims his death was a suicide. The story of Gracchus could’ve been made into a solo film, but giving his character inGladiator IIa greater presence in the rebellion like his real-world counterpart could’ve still done him justice on the big screen.
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In the end, despite being an important ally of Lucilla, Gracchus hardly affects the sequel’s story. Combined with his short but not-so-sweet death in the Colosseum, Gracchus’s portrayal inGladiator IIis a disservice to his character. Had the film given him a greater presence in the story, the history of his real-world counterpart could’ve made him a more compelling figure.
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.
