Ridley Scott's highly anticipated Gladiator sequel has cast a familiar face from the original film and confirmed the involvement of a Stranger Things actor in the historical drama.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Djimon Hounsou will feature in Gladiator 2, reprising his role as Juba from the first movie, a gladiator and ally of the movie's central character Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). Additionally, Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn has been added to the Gladiator 2 cast, with the actor portraying Roman Emperor Caracalla.
Hounsou and Quinn join a cast led by Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Mescal, who stars as Gladiator 2's lead protagonist Lucius, the nephew of the maniacal Commodus. Lucius was played by Joaquin Phoenix in the original film, and is the son of Maximus' ex-lover Lucilla. Connie Nielsen will reprise her part from Gladiator as Lucilla, while acting legend Denzel Washington and The Banshees of Inisherin star Barry Keoghan also appear in undisclosed roles.
Djimon Hounsou's Gladiator Legacy
Gladiator was one of the first films to garner Hounsou wide acclaim in Hollywood, earning him a Screen Actors Guild nomination. Widely regarded as a great historical epic, Gladiator won the Academy Award for Best Picture and scored Crowe a Best Actor Oscar win. Since then, Hounsou has further built his Hollywood reputation, earning a pair of Best Supporting Actor Oscar nods for his roles in Blood Diamond and In America. Additionally, he's become a fixture in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe, starring in Guardians of the Galaxy, Aquaman, Captain Marvel and the Shazam! movie franchise. He is next set to feature in the upcoming Gran Turismo film, as well as Zack Snyder's space opera Rebel Moon.
Quinn is best known for playing Eddie Munson during Season 4 of Stranger Things, which is Netflix's most-watched English-language series to date. Quinn later received a Saturn Award nomination for his performance, and has also appeared in HBO's Game of Thrones and Prime Video's Small Axe.
Though Gladiator 2 boasts an all-star cast, it will not feature Crowe, who was initially rumored for a return. Crowe's Maximus died after killing Commodus during their big Colosseum showdown, ordering the restoration of republican rule and Senator Gracchus' reinstatement before he passed away. Scott will be in the director's chair for the Gladiator sequel while David Scarpa, who is collaborating with Scott on the upcoming Napoleon film, penned the screenplay.
Gladiator 2 is set to open in theaters on Nov. 22, 2024.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter