Gladiator 2has recently revealed the true nature of May Calamawy’s cut character, including how she linked to Denzel Washington’s Macrinus. Thereviews forGladiator 2were mostly positive, yet some criticism was aimed at the film’s derivative nature in comparison to its predecessor. However, one aspect of the film that received little to no criticism wasGladiator 2’s cast and their characters, with each performance being praised by audiences and critics alike.
Paul Mescal’s Lucius ledGladiator 2, with him and costar Denzel Washington being the standouts of a well-acted movie. That said, one aspect ofGladiator 2’s cast that caused some disappointment only came after the film’s release. The theatrical version of the film revealed thatMay Calamawy’sGladiator 2role was cut, causing a spark of controversy concerning the reason why. Regardless of any reasoning, Calamawy was removed fromGladiator 2, with the film’s deleted scenes recently confirming exactly how she would have fit into the sprawling narrative.
May Calamawy’s Gladiator 2 Character Was “Sold” To Denzel Washington’s Macrinus
Calamawy Was Tied To Macrinus & Lucius In Gladiator 2
In one of the film’s deleted scenes, included as part ofGladiator 2’s digital release, Calamawy’s character is shown visiting Lucius in his cell beneath the Colosseum. Calamawy reveals herself as Fortuna, while also providing some interesting information about her character, her family, and how they link to Washington’s Macrinus. Fortune reveals to Lucius that she was sold to Macrinus alongside her mother and that the two were under his command.
Calamawy’s Fortuna would have furthered this thematic element ofGladiator 2’s story by being another slave under Macrinus' control…
Given that theGladiatorfranchise focuses so intently on slavery and how men and women can rise above their bonds, this makes a lot of sense. Macrinus is one of the more antagonistic figures ofGladiator 2, which stems from his own history as a slave, but also how he became a slaver himself. Calamawy’s Fortuna would have furthered this thematic element ofGladiator 2’s story by being another slave under Macrinus' control, while also having another important bearing on the film’s plot.
Why Macrinus Wanted Fortuna To Get Close To Lucius
In the deleted scene ofGladiator 2, it is revealed that Fortuna was another tool used by Macrinus to further his own political agenda, just as Lucius was. Fortuna reveals that she has been sent by Macrinus to seduce Lucius as a means of figuring out his true identity. For much ofGladiator 2’s story, Macrinus knew Lucius only as Hanno and not the rightful prince of Rome. However, the film makes it clear that Macrinus suspects who Lucius truly is.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Macrinus would have attempted to gain more information about Lucius. This scene supports reports about Calamawy’s role fromDexerto, which claimed that Fortuna’s seduction of Lucius turns into an alliance and open rebellion against Macrinus. The deleted scene shows Fortuna as notably despondent, implying that she has no intention of helping Macrinus. While it would have been nice to see an actor as promising as Calamawy in this role, it would likely have bloated the film’s plot considerably, explaining why she did not appear inGladiator 2despite linking so heavily to Macrinus.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
