Paul Mescal will be seen playing Lucius Verus, son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), in the upcoming Gladiator 2. Since the release of the first movie in 2000, fans have come up with plenty of theories about Maximus (Russell Crowe) and his past life. But there is a persistent theory that has stood the test of time and may turn out true in the forthcoming sequel. According to this theory, Lucius is Maximus and Lucilla’s son.
Gladiator (2000) hints at a romantic past between Maximus and Lucilla after he leads the Roman army to victory. Lucilla’s feelings are clear. The film suggests they were involved before Emperor Marcus Aurelius decided to expand the empire with Maximus as his general. This connection foreshadows Lucius’s immediate bond with the imprisoned Maximus. As the movie progresses, Lucius’s admiration for Maximus grows as he witnesses his victories in the Colosseum.
The theory of Lucius being Maximus’ son has existed for nearly 24 years, and it holds weight even with Ridley Scott teasing this storyline in some of his past interviews. According to reports, Scott began writing Gladiator 2’s script in 2003 with the intention of making Lucius the son of Maximus and Lucilla, though the project wasn’t completed then.
Will Gladiator 2 confirm this longstanding fan theory? If so, we can expect Lucius to be even more emotionally invested in his journey. Stay tuned for more updates on the sequel, which also stars Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Derek Jacobi.
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