• The director, Sam Mendes, is working on four biopics about The Beatles.
• Each movie will be from the perspective of a different member of the iconic British band.
• Here's everything we know about The Beatles movies.

The director, Sam Mendes, is working on four biopics about The Beatles.

Mendes, who's known for Oscar-winning films including “American Beauty,” “Skyfall,” and “1917,” has partnered with Sony to work on the ambitious slate of movies about the iconic British band. 

In a press release announcing the news, Sony Pictures CEO Tim Rothman said: “Sam’s daring, large-scale idea is that and then some.”

Here’s everything we know about the four movies about The Beatles.

Each movie will focus on a different member of The Beatles

According to the press release, each movie will be from the perspective of a different member of the band, meaning Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr will each have their own biopic.

It’s the first time that the band’s company, Apple Corps Ltd., has given permission for the group’s life story and music to be used in a scripted film about them.

Since 1979, 18 unauthorized biopics have been made about the band including 2009’s “Knowhere Boy" starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Lennon and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as McCartney.

The release also says that the four movies “will intersect to tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.” Yes, Mendes is effectively giving audiences The Beatles Cinematic Universe, so get those “Avengers” jokes out of the way now. 

Sam Mendes will have 'no limits' telling The Beatles’ story

In an interview with Deadline in February, Pippa Harris, who will produce the films, said the band’s surviving members, McCartney and Starr, have given their blessing for Mendes to work on the four films.

“It’s a testament to his creative brilliance and powers of persuasion that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sean Lennon, and Olivia Harrison responded with such warmth and enthusiasm as soon as he spoke with them,” she said, referring to John Lennon's son and George Harrison's widow.

Harris went on to say that Mendes will have no restrictions on what he depicts from the band members’ lives.

She said: “What is truly exciting is for Sam to have the freedom to delve into the lives of each of the Beatles, with nothing off limits and no sense of the band wanting him to tell a particular ‘authorised’ version of their rise to success.”

Starr also gave his blessing on in February via a post on X.

Ringo Starr said Barry Keoghan will play him in The Beatles movies

In November, ET Online asked Starr about rumors that "Saltburn" actor Barry Keoghan would play him.

He said: "I think it's great, I believe he's somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many."

Representatives for Keoghan did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

No actors have yet been cast as Lennon, McCartney, or Harrison.

Per the press release, Sony is looking to release all four movies about The Beatles in 2027, which gives Mendes plenty of time to find the right people to play the Liverpudlian superstars.

Ridley Scott said Paul Mescal has joined the cast after rumors circulated that he'll play Paul McCartney

Ridley Scott let slip that Paul Mescal has joined the cast of The Beatles movies during a conversation with Christopher Nolan after a screening of "Gladiator II" on Tuesday.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan asked the director whether Mescal would appear in his next project, "The Dog Stars," but Scott said that the Irish actor has a busy schedule.

He said: "Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing The Beatles next. So I may have to let him go."

There have been rumors that Mescal will play McCartney in the movies, and in November he told Entertainment Tonight that he'd love to join the project.

"It would be an incredible story to be attached to. The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, like truly, it would be a dream come true," he said.

However, he refused to comment on the speculation that he'll play McCartney, adding: "No, no, no — we're not going there."

Mescal's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Joseph Quinn will reportedly play George Harrison

On Thursday, Deadline reported that "Stranger Things" star Joseph Quinn has been cast as George Harrison in the project.

According to the outlet's anonymous sources, the actor has been preparing for the role by playing guitar while filming Marvel's "Fantastic Four."

Representatives for Quinn did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

Correction: March 1, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the director of the film "No Time to Die." Cary Joji Fukunaga directed the film, not Sam Mendes.

• Paul Mescal said that he has to "quit the internet."
• In the latest episode of "Happy Sad Confused," Mescal said his algorithm has "too much" of him.
• Mescal rose to fame after his role in the 2020 drama, "Normal People."

Paul Mescal might be in need of a digital detox.

On Monday's episode of "Happy Sad Confused," Josh Horowitz asked the "Gladiator II" star what his algorithm was like.

"I've got to quit the internet," Mescal responded. "It's like too much. It's too much of yourself. There's not enough bakeries, and there's too much of me."

He said that he would take "anything else other than me." "But I think it's just the way that the algorithms are cursed," he said.

Mescal plays Lucius in the action sequel "Gladiator II." In the same interview, he opened up about the growing media attention he has been receiving.

Acting was never on his radar, and he had no desire in his childhood to be "out in the world," said Mescal, who was nominated for Best Actor in the 2023 Academy Awards for his role in "Aftersun."

"But also, you're smart enough to realize that, like, that's the gig. You get out in front of the movie, and you do your job," said the Irish actor. "But there's a certain tax that comes with it."

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning on November 17, Mescal said his break-out role as Connell Waldron in "Normal People" changed his career trajectory.

"That was so abrupt," he said. "I think it started the scale moving in the direction that just that was the new normal, which was totally abnormal."

A representative for Mescal did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.

Going on a digital detox

Mescal is not the only celebrity to have considered taking a break from social media.

In January, Selena Gomez posted an Instagram story with the caption, "I'm off social for a while. I'm focusing on what really matters." Still, the pop star returned to the platform in less than 24 hours.

Instead of completely abstaining from social media, setting limits may be more helpful in managing phone addiction, Neha Chaudhary, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, previously told BI.

She recommends leaning on friends and family to stay accountable.

"Accountability plays a big role in trying to make any change," she said. "Maybe decide with a friend that you want to both reduce use, or tell your family member your goals so that they can check in with you about it. Whatever it is, find a way to have someone help keep you on track — breaking habits alone can be difficult."

Chaudhary recommends unfollowing accounts that can negatively impact your mental health to curate a more positive social media feed.

"I tell my patients that one of the biggest shifts they can make is to start to replace content that leaves them feeling worse with content that makes them feel better when they consume it," she said.

• "Gladiator II" features a naval battle that occurs at the Colosseum for the crowd's amusement.
• The scene is rooted in real-life naval battles that began during Julius Caesar's reign in Rome.
• But it's unlikely that the staged fights included sharks in the water.

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II" takes a few creative liberties and diverges from history to up the ante for audiences.

"Gladiator II" is set 15 years after Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Meridius died in the Colosseum in the 2000 movie "Gladiator." Now under the rule of the unhinged twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), cruel entertainment has reached new levels in the arena.

Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), is one of the men who's forced to fight to the death in the Colosseum for the amusement of the emperors and the similarly bloodthirsty crowds.

In one scene, the Colosseum floor is flooded with water in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea. To add to the danger, tiger sharks swim in the water, ready to feast on the humans.

Naval warfare ensues as two boats enter the arena to fight each other, the Romans versus Lucius and the other gladiators.

The boats circle the Colosseum before crashing into each other. Then, the men begin fighting viciously. As some of them fall off the boats and to their deaths, the sharks in the water swiftly tear them apart.

As far-fetched as the battle might seem, the scene was, at least partially, inspired by history.

Staged naval battles really did happen in Rome

Water spectacles in Rome go back to the first century BC. Areas, including the Colosseum, were flooded with water for staged fights. These mock naval battles, known as naumachia, began during Julius Caesar's rule in Rome.

According to National Geographic, in 80 AD, two naumachiae took place, one in an artificial lake and another in the Colosseum.

It's unclear if water entered the Colosseum via aqueducts or the arena's sluice gates and chambers that were used to drain and fill the space.

"It was quite amazing," Neil Corbould, special effects supervisor Neil Corbould of Industrial Light and Magic, said in the production notes for the film. "The boats they used in these battles were built only for that purpose. They were flat-bottomed because the water was so shallow."

Alison Futrell, an associate professor of Roman history at the University of Arizona, told Business Insider that the Colosseum's enclosed, limited size meant that actual boats were probably "cumbersome to maneuver" around the arena.

However, staged naval battles at the Colosseum could work if the boats were sized down.

"Maybe smaller sort of quasi-miniaturized boats that give the flavor of warships and that maybe accommodate greater visibility for the specifics of the combat too," Futrell said. "Because there are fans who want to really see what kind of fighting is going on there."

The battles probably didn't include sharks

History shows that people in Rome were at least aware that sea creatures existed.

"There are encyclopedists from antiquity who talk about sea creatures, and they're aware of shark-like things," Futrell said.

However, Futrell said that these shark-like creatures appear to have been located in the Indian Ocean rather than the Mediterranean. Plus, most of the sea animals referenced were mammals, not fish like sharks.

Futrell said that the Romans were aware of dolphins and orcas, which are both mammals. That said, there isn't a lot of evidence that the Romans were regularly building tanks big enough to allow people to interact with the creatures up close.

"But they knew about them as a draw and did make some effort at certain points in time to make them a kind of show in some ways," Futrell said.

There's evidence that in one such instance, under Emperor Claudius' rule, an orca traveled to the Tiber River and some effort was made to turn the event into a spectacle by blocking off access points so people could see the creature.

The sharks featured in "Gladiator II" are most likely an addition from Scott, who tends to include animals in his movies. There doesn't seem to be any historical evidence of sharks being part of these naval battles, though.

"Probably not sharks, specifically, and only rarely orca," Futrell said. "They're challenging to work with."

"Gladiator II" is now playing in theaters.

• "Gladiator II" and "Wicked" are both in theaters.
• While "Glicked" isn't as much of a viral double feature as "Barbenheimer," it would be pretty fun.
• If you have time for only one, though, see "Wicked."

"Gladiator II" and "Wicked" are facing off at the box office this weekend.

"Glicked," a portmanteau of the dueling releases, may not live up to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon of 2023 — the two films would need to make over $2 billion at the box office to pull that off. But they're both positioned for success as blockbusters.

"Gladiator II," directed by Ridley Scott, is the sequel to his 2000 film starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Its protagonist is Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), a long-lost Roman heir sent away for his own safety by his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), after the events of the first film.

"Wicked" is an adaptation of one of the longest-running Broadway musicals. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, this film covers only the first act of the musical, which serves as an origin story for the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz." (The second part is coming in 2025.)

Having screened both of them, I can say it's absolutely worth seeing both movies eventually, ideally in theaters. The double feature would be a good time, and far less existentially depressing than "Barbenheimer."

But if you've got the time, money, and energy for only one movie this weekend, you should see "Wicked."

'Wicked' vs. 'Gladiator II,' by the numbers

Both movies have been well received so far and are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, but critics and audiences generally seem to like "Wicked" a bit more.

If time is of the essence, there's no tie-breaker — they're nearly the same length.

If you want something you can see with the whole family, "Wicked" is more kid-friendly.

Now on to the more subjective stuff.

'Wicked' is a better movie than 'Gladiator II'

The witches have it, folks. To briefly summarize my "Wicked" review:

• Erivo and Grande are extraordinary as Elphaba and Glinda. It's not unlikely that Grande will pick up an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress (despite some hubbub over whether she belongs in that category) — and frankly, everyone should watch Erivo sing "The Wizard and I."
• "Wicked" does make some frustrating choices and feels a bit self-indulgent.
• It's still one of the best movie musicals in recent memory and makes a convincing argument for why it needed to be a two-part film.

"Gladiator II" is fun — but not quite as good, and narratively messy.

• It has trouble juggling its large cast and many contentious relationships. That results in an irritating underutilization of Pedro Pascal, who is otherwise just as heartstring-tugging as usual.
• But the action sequences are pretty fun, as long as you're not too pedantic about historical accuracy. (Colosseum sharks.)
• Denzel Washington is great, even if his character, Macrinus, is a little inscrutable.

'Gladiator II' has more Paul Mescal in it, though

Can't argue with that. Mescal is bloody, feral, leading-man material in "Gladiator II."

Be warned that people might start singing at 'Wicked'

Universal Pictures has scheduled sing-along screenings of "Wicked" that start on December 25. They can't really come soon enough, though. The New York Times reported on audience members' frustrations with their compatriots belting out songs — and that was just at early-access screenings.

Let's be clear: You should definitely not start singing along at "Wicked" unless it is a designated sing-along screening. It's rude and disrupts other people's enjoyment of the film. Do what the rest of us have done since we were children and strain your voice by belting "Defying Gravity" in the comfort of your own living room.

Ultimately, follow your own taste

"Wicked" and "Gladiator II" are both worth the price of admission (and maybe even of a popcorn and soda). Ultimately, it boils down to whether you have a strong preference for or against musicals.

If you're thirsting for blood, go see "Gladiator II." If you're craving off-the-charts theater-kid energy, obviously go see "Wicked."

• "Gladiator II" introduces Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Maximus (Russell Crowe).
• In the original "Gladiator" movie, the younger Lucius was played by Spencer Treat Clark.
• Here's why Clark doesn't reprise the role in "Gladiator II."

"Gladiator II" finally arrived on November 22, but fans are still wondering why Paul Mescal plays the slave fighter Lucius, instead of Spencer Treat Clark, who played him in the original movie.

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a former Roman general who is betrayed and sold into slavery. Lucius, the heir to the Roman Empire, watches Maximus fight in the Colosseum.

Lucius disappeared after the events of the original movie and forged a new life for himself. But like Maximus, he's forced into becoming a fighter when he's captured by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and his soldiers.

It's not surprising that Scott cast Mescal as Lucius for the sequel considering the Irish actor has become a rising star after his critically acclaimed performances in"Normal People," "Aftersun," and "All of Us Strangers."

But "Gladiator" fans on social media have said it's odd that Scott didn't ask Clark to reprise the role since he's still working as an actor.

Scott said he needed someone younger to play Lucius in "Gladiator II"

Clark, who is now 36 years old, also played Joseph Dunn in "Unbreakable" opposite Bruce Willis — a role he later reprised in 2019's "Glass." And he's appeared in several TV shows, including "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D," "Animal Kingdom," and "Manhunt."

Last November, Scott told Deadline that he wanted to cast a younger actor to play Lucius in "Gladiator II" and that he was impressed by Mescal, who is 28, in "Normal People."

"I'm always looking for someone, something new and fresh. I mean, fresh is terribly important," Scott said. "So they're not carrying … baggage is a terrible word for what they've done before, because it's great stuff, but you will remember he just did this character already.

"I watched this show called 'Normal People.' It's unusual for me, but I saw one and thought, that's interesting. These actors are really good I watched the whole goddamn show and thought, damn."

He added, "So this came up at a time when I need a 23-year-old, 24-year-old to take up the mantle of Lucius. And I just said, 'You want to do it?' He said, 'Yeah.'"

Spencer Treat Clark says he's "excited" to see "Gladiator II"

Speaking to People ahead of the HBO Max horror remake, "Salem's Lot," Clark explained that he holds no ill will against Scott or Mescal for replacing him as Lucius in "Gladiator II.

"The movie looks so good, and Paul's going to do such a great job. I've actually heard great things about the movie... I feel like it was 25 years ago, but for some people, seeing me as an adult and being like, 'Oh my God, you're right. You were Lucius in Gladiator,' is so wild," He said.

"But I'm really excited to see the movie and to see what Paul brings to it. And yeah, it comes out soon. So I'm excited for it."

• "Gladiator II" is a sequel to Ridley Scott's 2000 film "Gladiator" starring Russell Crowe.
• The new movie doesn't work very well as a historical epic — or, frankly, a drama.
• If you want to see Paul Mescal go feral, or some sharks in the Colosseum, you'll have a great time.

"Gladiator II" is a messy sequel to Ridley Scott's Roman epic — but what it lacks in narrative connective tissue, it makes up for in spectacle.

After all, aren't we here to be entertained? With a cast led by Paul Mescal in his first blockbuster leading role, "Gladiator II" delivers on the action, and should definitely be seen on the biggest screen you can find. Just don't worry too much about the narrative — or the historical details.

The sequel, directed by Scott, picks up approximately a decade and a half after the death of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), the Roman emperor who dreamed of a better empire before being killed by his son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Commodus was eventually taken down by Roman general-cum-gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), who also died of his wounds in the battle at the end of the original 2000 film.

By the time "Gladiator II" picks up, not much has changed. Rome is ever-expanding, characterized by the hunger and decadence of its twin rulers, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) has just conquered the African territory Numidia — unknowingly, he brings an unwilling (and initially unknown) prodigal son back with him.

That's Lucius (Mescal), the son of Marcus Aurelius' daughter Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film), and Maximus himself, who has been living a quiet life in hiding since his mother spirited him away from Rome. Despite growing up in Rome, Lucius has little desire to return. Unfortunately, like his father, he's been taken as a slave following the death of his wife, picked up by the calculating Macrinus (Denzel Washington) as a fighter under a false name, and given the chance to slay his way to freedom in the Colosseum.

"Gladiator II" does its best to juggle its many contentious relationships, and the broader conflicts that they represent in the film, to middling success. Lucius chafes against Rome's carnivorous nature represented in Acacius, the depravity modeled by its twin emperors, and its social order embodied in Macrinus, a former slave who has clawed his way into power. Pascal's character, in particular, feels half-baked both as a person and as a symbol for the Rome Lucius must come to love and defeat — it's the actor's performance that drives any buy-in.

Some important dynamics, like the one between Lucius and his mother Lucilla, suffer amid rapid pacing. And Washington's Macrinus, though carried by the actor's intensely captivating presence, can be difficult to parse. Some of that is certainly by design, and Washington draws out Macrinus' calculating, jovial, and menacing facets with equal aplomb. However, it makes it difficult to buy into Macrinus' entire ethos.

What does work well are the fights, and rest assured that there are plenty of them.

"Gladiator II" is big, bloody, and vicious in its combat, and rarely holds back when it can cut deeper. Scott brings his sensibility for scale to gigantic battles, like the naval conflict that kicks off the film's action. "Gladiator II" shines best, though, in tightly choreographed sequences, like the battle between Acacius and Lucius teased in trailers, or more bombastic ones, like Lucius matching a feral monkey's freak in hand-to-paw combat. Leave your historical pedantry at the door for the much-decried Colosseum sharks.

Sillier combat experiences aside, the film derives most of its levity from Quinn and Hechinger's obscene twin emperors and Dundus, Caracalla's pet monkey. In particular, "Gladiator II" should serve as an excellent argument to keep casting Quinn — previously best known as "Stranger Things" breakout heartthrob Eddie Munson — in the most unhinged roles humanly possible, because he steals every single scene.

The biggest winner is Mescal, who proves with more than a few brooding glances and swings of the sword that he has the chops to carry a blockbuster. "Gladiator II" isn't shy about drawing blatant parallels between Lucius and Maximus' journeys. Mescal's performance, however, is grounded and more vindictive than Crowe's in the first film, and tips the balance toward Lucius feeling more like a successor to Maximus' mission than a carbon copy.

Ultimately, "Gladiator II" works better as an action flick than a focused historical drama. If you're here to watch Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal just absolutely go at it in the ring — or Denzel Washington gossip and plot his way through Roman court — you're in the right place. Just don't read too much into the broader narrative, and you'll be fine.

"Gladiator II" is now in theaters.

• Paul Mescal plays Lucius Verus in "Gladiator II."
• The film revealed in a trailer — and makes it clear in the movie — that Lucius is Maximus' son.
• In "Gladiator," Lucius is just a child — here's what you need to know about him.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Gladiator II."

In "Gladiator II," Paul Mescal's Lucius is a vengeful heir to the throne who's out for blood — but in the first "Gladiator" film, his character is just an innocent child who mucks up his parents' coup d'état.

"Gladiator II" picks up a few decades after Ridley Scott's 2000 film, which starred Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Long after general-turned-gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) and Emperor Commodus (Phoenix) killed each other in battle, long-lost heir Lucius returns to Rome as a gladiator after the empire conquers his new home, Numidia.

Compared to his appearance in the first film, Lucius is a bit difficult to recognize. For one, he's no longer a child. More importantly, however, his time away from Rome has fostered a deep resentment toward the empire — and a desire to turn away from his lineage as the son of Empress Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who reprises her role in the new film).

Here's what you need to know about Lucius, and how Mescal's storyline in "Gladiator II" connects to the first film.

Lucius is a child in the 2000 film 'Gladiator'

In the first "Gladiator," Rome falls to chaos after emperor Marcus Aurelius appoints Maximus, one of his generals, as his successor instead of his son, Commodus. In turn, Commodus kills his father, and does the same to Maximus' family when the general refuses to swear loyalty to him. Maximus ends up enslaved and eventually winds up fighting for his freedom at the Colosseum as a gladiator.

While in Rome, Maximus learns that his former soldiers are still loyal to him. Working with Lucilla, Commodus' sister, they attempt to plan a coup to remove Commodus from power. Unfortunately, Commodus finds out about it (more on that later), quashes the plan, and challenges Maximus to a duel. Despite Commodus stabbing Maximus before the fight, Maximus defeats him but succumbs to his wounds.

In the first film, Lucius (played by Spencer Treat Clark) is introduced as Lucilla's young son and the heir to the throne. He and Maximus briefly meet: Lucius gleefully inquires about Maximus' combat abilities, and tells Maximus that he'll cheer for him in the games. Lucius also tells Maximus that he was named after his father, who is dead.

Later in the film, however, Lucius playfully spars with his uncle Commodus and pretends to be "Maximus, the savior of Rome." The epithet clues Commodus into Maximus and Lucilla's plan, and after stopping Maximus' escape, he threatens Lucilla with Lucius' life so that she will provide him with an heir of his own.

At the end of the film, when Maximus is on the edge of death, he tells Lucilla that Lucius is safe, presumably from Commodus. Lucius looks on as Maximus dies.

'Gladiator II' clarifies Lucius' backstory

"Gladiator II" takes Lucius from boy to haggard man, filling in the gaps in his life after the events of the first film.

As the sequel recounts, Lucilla sent Lucius out of the city after Maximus and Commodus' deaths to keep him safe. Eventually, he found a home in the North African kingdom of Numidia, where he settled in with a wife and took a new name. After Rome conquers the kingdom under the command of General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), Lucius gets taken back as a slave. Eventually, Macrinus (Denzel Washington) acquires him as a gladiator.

Once he arrives in Rome — and crucially, after he crosses paths with his mother Lucilla — Lucius gradually begins to accept his royal heritage again. He also learns that his true father was Maximus, the legendary gladiator who fought in the same ring.

"Gladiator II" includes a few glimpses of the original film, including Spencer Treat Clark as young Lucius, to hammer down the connection. By the end of the film, Lucius has donned Maximus' armor and acknowledged his birthright as an heir to Rome. He proclaims his intent to reclaim it for the people, similar to Maximus' mission to turn the empire into a republic in the first film.

"Gladiator II" is now in theaters.

• The ending of "Gladiator II" pays homage to Russell Crowe's character in "Gladiator."
• The new sequel has many parallels with the first film.
• Here's what to know about the conclusion to the film and why there may be another sequel.

"Gladiator II" doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there may still be room for another sequel.

The new movie battles with "Wicked" for the top spot at the box office this week after both films premiered in the US on the same day.

Scott, who directed the first two movies, told Total Film in October that he had started a script. "I've already got eight pages. I've got the beginning of a very good footprint," Scott said.

Spoilers ahead for "Gladiator" and "Gladiator II."

'Gladiator II' replicates many beats from the first film.

The first film, which premiered in 2000 and won 5 Oscars, followed a Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), an honorable Roman general whose wife and child are killed when a new emperor takes power.

After becoming a highly favored gladiator, Maximus takes part in a failed coup to turn Rome into a democracy. When this fails, the emperor mortally wounds Maximus and challenges him in the Colosseum, where they both die.

As Maximus is dying, he encourages the people to follow the dream of the old emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Aurelius' daughter, then gives a rousing speech that Maximus' death should not be in vain.

Rome is still a mess in "Gladiator II," set 16 years after the first film.

The sequel replicates many of the first film's beats, with a few new developments.

Instead of one tyrannical emperor, there are twins: Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn).

But the real twist is that both antagonists are killed by the real villain, Marcinus (Denzel Washington), a power broker who breeds chaos to take over Rome.

Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), the new lead general and Lucilla's new husband, organizes a coup against the emperors, as Maximus did.

Like in the first film, the coup is cut short, and Acacius is killed in the Colosseum.

The sequel's protagonist is Lucilla's son, Lucius (Paul Mescal). After the first film, Lucilla sends her son beyond the empire for his own safety, which makes him hate Rome and his mother.

At the film's beginning, Rome attacks Lucius' new home. He is captured, becomes a gladiator, and learns from his mother that his father was Maximus.

Lucius eventually accepts his role as a leader when he hears his mother will be executed for her part in Acacius' coup. He sends a messenger to Acacius' militia to storm Rome and leads a group of gladiators to break from their prison and try to save Lucilla.

The gladiators overpower the Roman guards, but Marcinus kills Lucilla before riding out of the Colosseum to face Acacius' militia with his own army. Lucius gives chase and defeats Marcinus before the two armies can attack each other.

Lucius then wins over both armies with an inspirational speech about how he will rebuild Rome just as father, Maximus, and grandfather, Aurelius, would have wanted.

The hero will stay alive this time to ensure Rome is restored to glory.

There is a small homage to Maximus' death scene at the end.

In the final scene of the sequel, Lucius returns to the Colosseum to see where his mother died and mourn his fallen loved ones.

Calling back to Maximus and Lucius' favorite ritual, Lucius picks up dirt on the ground, looks up to the heavens, and asks his father for advice. Then, there is a brief shot of a hand touching a wheat field before the movie ends.

It is unclear if the clip was footage re-used from the old film, or if it was shot again.

It is an ambiguous ending, but suggests Maximus' spirit is still around to help Lucius.

Fans of the first film may remember that wheat fields in the first film symbolized the afterlife. Throughout the film, the audience sees glimpses of this wheatfield, and when Maximus dies, we see him fully in the field, walking to his wife and child.

Since Lucius is still alive and seemingly the new emperor of Rome, a third film could explore his attempts to save Rome and the new villains who will rise to stop him.

Mescal told Variety last week at the London premiere of "Gladiator II" that he would be "massively down" to appear in the next sequel.