Universal Pictures
While Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou had a key role in the original Gladiator film alongside Russell Crowe, he will not be in the sequel.
Speaking to BroBible’s Post Credit Podcast ahead of the release of his Netflix film Rebel Moon, Hounsou said that he’s “honestly” not in the sequel. The 59-year-old actor says that while he was supposed to be, circumstances ultimately prevented him from doing so.
“Honestly, no,” the Oscar-nominated Hounsou asked when we asked if he’s involved in the sequel
“And this was a pure accident in the way it unfolded. I was going to be part of it. Circumstances dictated it to be something different.”
Production of the film — which is a sequel to Scott’s 2000 film Gladiator, which won Best Picture and earned Russell Crowe the award for Best Actor at the Academy Awards — was delayed due to the actors’ strike but has since resumed.
Starring Academy Award nominee Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Crowe’s Maximus, the sequel to Gladiator also stars Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Joseph Quinn as Emperor Caracalla, Fred Hechinger as Emperor Geta, Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus, Pedro Pascal, May Calamawy, and more.
As for Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child for Fire, in which Hounsou plays General Titus, the film is now playing in select theaters and will be released on Netflix on Thursday, December 1.
Unfortunately for everyone involved in Rebel Moon, however, the film has debuted to the worst reviews of Zack Snyder’s career, which has produced its fair share of divisive films over the years.
At this time, Gladiator 2 (it is currently unconfirmed what the official title is) is scheduled to hit theaters on November 22, 2024.