Is Russell Crowe in Gladiator 2? Maximus' role in long-awaited sequel explained

Warning - this article contains spoilers for Gladiator II.

Gladiator II follows the epic story of Maximus Decimus Meridius’ (played by Russell Crowe) son Lucius (Paul Mescal) from former heir to the Roman Empire to an enslaved warrior with a thirst for vengeance.

Born to Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Lucius was sent away after the events of the original 2000 film and resides with his wife in Numidia, a Roman province in North Africa.

When he’s taken prisoner by the Roman army, he forms a shaky alliance with power-hungry gladiator master Macrinus (Denzel Washington) to hatch a plot to take down Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), a conflicted general under the command of co-emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).

However, Lucius will have to survive the perils of the Colosseum before reuniting with his mother and discovering his true destiny.

As the original Gladiator is one of the most iconic films ever made, movie fans will be wondering if A-list star Crowe will be making an appearance as Maximus.

Although he’s famously slain at the end of the first film, there was a chance Maximus could return in a vision of the afterlife or in new footage filmed for flashbacks, with Crowe de-aged with special effects.

For those who don’t want spoilers, look away - no, Crowe didn’t come back to shoot new footage, although Maximus appears in scenes from the first Gladiator at several points in the new sequel.

His name is evoked throughout once Lucius reconnects with Lucilla, and he even wears his father’s signature armour during his final battle.

Moreover, Maximus all but appears in the final shot of the sequel after Lucius has defeated Macrinus and calls upon his father to speak to him from beyond the grave.

While there’s not exactly a spiritual reunion between the father and son, Gladiator II ends with a shot of what could be Maximus’ hand brushing through a field of wheat, a recognisable image used throughout the first film to symbolise the afterlife.

As for why Crowe himself doesn’t appear, the New Zealand-born star recently admitted he felt “slightly uncomfortable” about the sequel considering his protective feelings over the original and his character.

"I’m slightly uncomfortable, the fact that they’re making another one, you know?” he shared on the Kyle Meredith With… podcast.

“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 added. “But you know, I can’t say anything. That’s not my place.”

The film is expected to be a smash hit after the success of the first film, but will Gladiator II live up to the hype?

Gladiator II is in cinemas now.