Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic Gladiator is one of the best-loved historical movies of recent times, with Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and Oliver Reed among the actors turning in excellent performances in this tale of revenge and redemption. With a sequel announced and on the way, what comes next for the franchise?
Gladiator: The Road to Rome
We can see this slot in the casino at Paddy Power Games, where many slots on various themes are gathered. It isn’t the only movie-based game on the list, as The Matrix is another title that will be familiar to film fans. It also isn’t the only game based on the Roman Empire, with Reel Empire by Core Gaming and Legion Gold by Play’n GO also using this historical setting.
Gladiator: The Road to Rome is by Playtech and is played over five reels where players look to get matching symbols together. A free spin round and multipliers are among the key features. There’s also a progressive jackpot that carries on climbing every time someone plays a spin until it’s won.
How have they captured the atmosphere?
Gladiator is a hugely atmospheric movie that won Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Costume Design, as well as Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe’s role. As reported by NME, the actor has since admitted to feeling guilty as director Scott deserved the credit. This slot quickly immerses us in the story through the use of great background music and an image of the Colosseum with the reels in front of it.
The key symbols show some of the most important characters from the movie, such as Commodus, Lucilla, and Proximo. A fierce gladiator is the top-paying symbol and can also act as a wild to complete winning lines. The creators have also added some elements of Roman fighting culture to the features, with players asked to pick shields in a bonus round.
What’s next for Gladiator?
The fact that this movie has been made into a slot game shows us how well-loved it still is after all these years. In fact, Gladiator has been credited with reviving interest in the Roman empire and has also inspired numerous epic historical movies based on fallen empires. These include 2004’s Troy, 2006’s 300, and Kingdom of Heaven from 2005. Yet, it’s been argued by critics that none of these movies managed to capture the magic that made Gladiator such a cultural phenomenon.
Given the massive success of the movie, it’s no surprise that there have been attempts to create a sequel. The issue of how to deal with the aftermath of the original’s dramatic ending has made this hugely complex, with some proposed scripts taking a supernatural approach to keep Maximus in the plot.
However, the latest news on Collider suggests that Gladiator 2 will feature Paul Mescal as Lucius, the nephew of Commodus. While details of the plot are scarce, Ridley Scott is again directing it and it’s been suggested that the film could be released by the end of 2024.
The massive impact of the Gladiator movie means that it’s still fondly remembered by many fans. This has made it a natural choice as a slot and has also fuelled interest in a sequel, which is sure to be in the news a lot as we get closer to the release date.