Paul Mescal screaming as Lucius in Gladiator 2Paul Mescal explains how his Gladiator II character differs from the first film’s protagonist. Mescal plays Lucius in the upcoming historical epic. Lucius is the son of Maximus, the main character of the 2000 film Gladiator, who died at the end of the first movie. In addition to Mescal, Gladiator II features a leading cast including Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Derek Jacobi, Joseph Quinn, Rory McCann, and Fred Hechinger. The movie is set for release on November 22.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Mescal details key differences between Lucius and Maximus. The biggest difference, the Gladiator II star explained, is that Maximus and Lucius have very different visions for the city of Rome. In Mescal’s interpretation, Maximus is “looking to restore honor in Rome” in Gladiator. As a foil to his father, “Lucius starts this film from the point of wanting to totally dismantle it.” Mescal goes so far as to say that “if he could burn it all down, he would.” Check out the full quote from Mescal below:

But what I tried to do was figure out exactly who Lucius was and where those differences lay between Lucius and Maximus. Maximus, to me, is looking to restore honor in Rome throughout the first film. And I think Lucius starts this film from the point of wanting to totally dismantle it. And if he could burn it all down, he would. But he gets to the point where he’s trying to restore honor, so there’s a massive 180 pivot that you have to make throughout it.

What This Characterization Means For Gladiator II

Maximus Will (Most Likely) Not Be On Screen

Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) holds out his sword as in Gladiator 2 Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal yell while fighting in the Colosseum in Gladiator 2 Paul Mescal with cuts on his face in Gladiator 2 Paul Mescal as Lucius bleeding and holding a sword in Gladiator 2 Lucius (Paul Mescal) wields his sword while surrounded by armored individuals in Gladiator IILucius Verus (Paul Mescal) holds out his sword as in Gladiator 2
Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal yell while fighting in the Colosseum in Gladiator 2 Paul Mescal with cuts on his face in Gladiator 2 Paul Mescal as Lucius bleeding and holding a sword in Gladiator 2 Lucius (Paul Mescal) wields his sword while surrounded by armored individuals in Gladiator II

With Maximus dead after Gladiator‘s ending, there is no way for Russell Crowe to appear or cameo in the present-day action of the sequel, unless it were a flashback or a vision. This leaves Gladiator II with the challenging feat of trying to make Maximus “present” in the narrative in the absence of his physical visage. Based on Mescal’s description, it seems that the sequel has chosen to allude to Maximus through his son’s ideology and the differences therein. Those who have seen the original Gladiator can pick up on these differences, especially aided by Mescal’s context.

Another important element of Mescal’s quote is his conversation about Lucius’ character development. As per the actor, Lucius is far from static, which makes him more compelling. This dynamism extends to his opinions on the future of Rome, as he ends up returning “to the point where he’s trying to restore honor,” much like his father. This so-called “massive 180 pivot” will create an interesting character arc in Gladiator II. The impetus for Lucius’ mindset change has not been stated but will be revealed when the film eventually releases next month.

Our Take On Lucius’ Character In Gladiator II

The Sequel Will Be A Good Balance For New And Returning Fans

Maximus looking solemn in Gladiator

Though time will tell how successfully Gladiator II pulls it off, I think the way that the film is handling Lucius shows a lot of promise. Gladiator II faces the challenge of being released over two decades after the first film, which a number of its audiences may have forgotten or not seen. As such, it is smart to make what is essentially a new lead for the film, while still connecting it enough with the original to appease returning franchise fans.