Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Gladiator II.

Gladiator II producer Douglas Wick addresses why Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) chooses to stay in Rome at the end of the sequel. Lucius was born in Rome and is descended from several notable Romans, with his parents being Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), and his grandfather being Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). However, Lucius spent most of his life in Numidia and did not embrace his heritage until Gladiator II's ending.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Wick discusses how Gladiator II is "a homecoming" for Lucius. He discusses how the sequel's creative team, including director Ridley Scott, mapped out Lucius' journey and the movie's final image, which highlight how Lucius is forced to reconcile with his identity as a Roman. Wick also shares why this was a more satisfying trajectory for Lucius than seeing him destroy Rome,...