Gladiator 2: Djimon Hounsou Won't Return and the Need for Original Characters

Djimon Hounsou's Absence in Gladiator 2

After conflicting reports, original Gladiator star Djimon Hounsou confirms he won't be appearing in Gladiator 2. Director Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel is set to release next year, following a grown-up Lucius, who will this time be played by Paul Mescal.

Custom image of Russell Crowe holding a spear in Gladiator juxtaposed with Paul Mescal looking concerned in Foe.

Although the Gladiator ending sees Russell Crowe's Maximus die of his wounds, Hounsou's Juba remained alive, and it has long been rumored that he would return in the upcoming sequel. Now, however, as Gladiator 2's release date approaches, Hounsou reveals in an interview with BroBible that he actually won't be reprising his role in the sequel after all. It sounds like reports of Juba's return weren't entirely inaccurate, however, with the actor explaining that it was once in the cards.

In an interview with The Guardian earlier this year, Hounsou expressed hope that he would get to return for Gladiator 2.

Does Gladiator 2 Need More Original Characters To Return?

So far, the Gladiator 2 cast features mostly newcomers, with only a few characters from the first movie returning, and even fewer actors. Lucius will take center stage in the sequel, but the character's original actor, Spencer Treat Clark, hands the reins to Mescal. Connie Nielsen returns as Lucius' mother, Lucilla, with Derek Jacobi also returning as Gracchus.

All of the other characters will seemingly be ones audiences haven't seen before, including those played by Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, May Calamawy, and Matt Lucas. While the return of so few original characters in a sequel could be a cause for concern, the first movie was really just about Maximus and his journey. Many of the people close to Maximus die over the course of the film and, other than Juba, it's not clear whether it would really make sense to bring anyone else back.

Gladiator 2 seemingly also takes place a number of years after the events of the first film, with Lucius having grown up quite a bit. It's reasonable to assume that many figures from the original story would either have died in the intervening years or gone about their lives, outside of Lucius' orbit. Gladiator 2 was always going to feel like more of a soft reboot or loose continuation simply due to the focus of the story, and having so few original characters coming back likely won't be an issue.

The Necessity of Original Characters in Gladiator 2

The absence of many original characters in the upcoming Gladiator 2 raises the question of whether the sequel needs more familiar faces from the first film. With Lucius taking center stage and the story focusing on his grown-up character, the lack of returning characters may be a deliberate choice by the filmmakers to give the sequel a fresh and distinct identity.

While fans of the original movie may have hoped to see more familiar faces, the narrative direction of Gladiator 2 suggests that it aims to stand on its own, with a new set of characters and a different perspective on the world of ancient Rome.

The decision to focus on Lucius and introduce new characters reflects the natural progression of time and the changing dynamics of the story. By exploring the next chapter in Lucius' life and introducing a new ensemble of characters, Gladiator 2 has the potential to offer a unique and compelling continuation of the original narrative.