Summary New information about Gladiator 2 has recently been released, and it makes one of the biggest theories about the original movie even more likely to be confirmed. Paul Mescal is set to play Lucius in Gladiator 2, and the new information about his character brought some old theories back to the spotlight. Lucius was a child, played by Spencer Treat Clark, in the original Gladiator, though his actor won't return for Gladiator 2.
Lucius Being Maximus' Son Makes A Lot Of Sense After Gladiator Story Reveals Lucius is set to be the main character of Gladiator 2, and it looks like he'll be extremely similar to Maximus. Like Maximus, Lucius is a former favorite son of Rome, and Gladiator 2 will also see him imprisoned and forced to fight as a gladiator, and his time in the Colosseum will put him on a path to fighting Rome's established powers.
Was Lucius Always Supposed To Be Maximus' Son In The Gladiator Sequel? A big reason the theory that Lucius was Maximus' son in the original Gladiator got so popular is because there were so many hints to it. Gladiator heavily implied that Lucilla and Maximus had a romantic relationship years before the movie, which might have been at the right time to match up to Lucius' young age. Lucius, too, seemed very connected to Maximus throughout Gladiator.
What Lucius Being Maximus' Son Would Mean For Gladiator 2 Close If Gladiator 2 does establish that Lucius was the illegitimate son of Maximus, it could have a huge impact on the movie's plot. Lucius is already following in Maximus' footsteps, but the knowledge that his true father was "the savior of Rome" could push him to follow even more closely.