Denzel Washington as Macrinus looking up next to Macrinus looking off to the side in Gladiator 2Denzel Washington has teased the dark side of his Gladiator II character, Macrinus, implying how he gained so much power and why he wants more. The upcoming Gladiator II focuses 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 with Screen Rant, Washington explained the dark side of Macrinus that will be revealed in Gladiator 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

Denzel Washington smirking as Macrinus in Gladiator 2 Macrinus (Denzel Washington) seated in a golden chair and looking thoughtful in Gladiator 2 Macrinus (Denzel Washington) presiding over the Roman Senate in Gladiator II Denzel Washington speaking in Gladiator 2 Denzel Washington laughing in Gladiator 2Denzel Washington smirking as Macrinus in Gladiator 2
Macrinus (Denzel Washington) seated in a golden chair and looking thoughtful in Gladiator 2 Macrinus (Denzel Washington) presiding over the Roman Senate in Gladiator II Denzel Washington speaking in Gladiator 2 Denzel Washington laughing in Gladiator 2

Out of all the characters in Gladiator 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.

In terms of the real historical figure Gladiator II‘s Macrinus is based on, he sought power in much the same way as his on-screen rendition, orchestrating events in order 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

Denzel Washington speaking as Macrinus juxtaposed with Paul Mescal looking up as Lucius in Gladiator 2Custom image by Ryan Northrup

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 believe Gladiator II will 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.