Djimon Hounsou as Juba in Gladiator with Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator 2
Djimon Hounsou was originally meant to return as Juba in Gladiator II, and I think I've figured out what his role would be and how the movie happened without him. Hounsou was one of Russell Crowe's main co-stars in Ridley Scott's original Gladiator, as he played Juba, a fighter from Nubia who is thrown into the gladiator arena with Maximus. He survived Gladiator's ending, giving me some hope that he'd return in the sequel once it was officially announced.
Although the majority of Gladiator 2 takes place in Rome, the opening sequence with Lucius explores his life in Numidia, a northern part of Africa, as the Roman army approaches for battle. This gives the movie a minor but potentially important connection to Juba. Numidia and Nubia are both located in the northern part of Africa. Gladiator 2 could have had Lucius find a new life for himself in any part of the world.
Juguratha is introduced in Gladiator 2 as the chieftain of Numidia and a mentor to Lucius. He's responsible for leading the Numidian army into battle with Rome and accompanies Lucius in the slave trade afterward. Mensah's character plays a pivotal role early on thanks to how close his relationship with Lucius is.
✕ Remove Ads As for the timeline of how these events could have played out, there's a short window for it to work. Djimon Hounsou's expected Gladiator 2 return was first reported on April 28, 2023, by THR, but Peter Mensah was cast a few weeks later on May 18, 2023. It's worth noting that Hounsou's return was never officially confirmed ahead of Mensah's casting, possibly because everyone was still trying to work out the schedule.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Djimon Hounsou Didn't Return For Gladiator 2Will is a Movies/TV Features Author for ScreenRant
Read more »
Here's Your First Look At Djimon Hounsou and Kodi Smit-McPhee in 'Zealot'Djimon Hounsou as Titus looking at an unfolding battle in Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver.
Read more »
Why Gladiator 2's Paul Mescal Didn't Contact Original Franchise Star Russell Crowe For AdvicePaul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator 2 juxtaposed with Russell Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator
Read more »
Before 'Gladiator 2' Hits Theaters, Here's How To Watch the Original For FreeMaximus fighting another gladiator in the arena in Gladiator.
Read more »
‘Gladiator 2’ Reviews Are In, And Better Than ‘Gladiator’I’ve been writing about video games, television and movies for Forbes for over 10 years, and you may have seen my reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. I cover all manner of console and PC games, but if it’s about looting or shooting, I’m definitely there. If I’m watching something, it’s usually science fiction, horror or superheroic.
Read more »
Do You Have To Watch Gladiator Before Seeing Gladiator 2?A new trailer is out for “Gladiator 2” that reveals Paul Mescal’s character’s special connection to Russell Crowe’s Maximus from the first film. The film hits theaters November 22.
Read more »