Gladiator II has now arrived in UK cinemas and you might still be wondering if you can expect to see more of Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Meridius (father to a murdered son etc).
Now, of course, Maximus is very much dead after the events of Gladiator, but since the sequel focuses on his illegitimate son Lucius (Paul Mescal), there was always the possibility of a posthumous appearance from Maximus.
After all, the first movie ended with him reuniting with his family in the afterlife, so why can't he pop up with some fatherly advice for Lucius?
Both Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe have asserted in various interviews leading up to Gladiator 2's release that Maximus is categorically not in the sequel. But were they just doing an Andrew Garfield?
If you just want to know the answer, then we're here to help by revealing whether Maximus is in Gladiator 2.
Is Russell Crowe in Gladiator 2?
We can confirm that Russell Crowe does not return as Maximus in Gladiator 2 – at least not in new footage.
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The sequel's opening credits recap the events of the first movie, rendered in a gorgeous, painted style, while the movie does feature flashbacks that include Maximus as his legacy is a major aspect of the plot.
Part of this includes other characters quoting iconic lines such as "What we do in life echoes in eternity," as well as Lucius looking at the armour that Maximus used during his fateful final battle.
But in terms of brand-new footage, Crowe doesn't appear to have filmed anything for Maximus in the sequel.
As mentioned before, that's not a particular surprise as Scott has explained why Maximus didn't return.
"I think he's [Russell Crowe] still one of the best actors in the world, and I think we have a good relationship," he said in September 2024. "I hope we do. As long as he doesn't start bitching about how he wasn't consulted. Why would I? He's dead!"
Crowe hasn't exactly been "bitching" about not returning or being consulted on the sequel, but he has admitted to a "certain tinge of jealousy" and being "slightly uncomfortable" that they made a new movie.
"Because of course, I'm dead, and I have no say in what gets done. A couple of things that I’ve heard, I’m like, ‘No, no, no. That’s not in the moral journey of that particular character," he told Kyle Meredith in June 2024.
"But you know, I can't say anything. That's not my place. I'm six feet under. So we'll see what that is like."
We'll just have to wait and see what Crowe thinks of how Gladiator 2 treated the legacy of Maximus.
Gladiator II is out now in UK cinemas and is released in US cinemas on November 22.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
