Djimon Hounsou was originally meant to deliver as Juba inGladiator II , and I imagine I ’ve figured out what his role would be and how the movie happened without him . Hounsou was one of Russell Crowe ’s main conscientious objector - star in Ridley Scott ’s originalGladiator , as he run Juba , a fighter from Nubia who is flip into the gladiator arena with Maximus . He survivedGladiator ’s ending , giving me some hope that he ’d come back in the subsequence once it was officially announced . For some clock time , it appeared that this would happen , asreports circulate that Hounsou would be inGladiator 2 .
Disappointment came when it was later revealed that Honsou ’s Juba was amongGladiator 2 ’s missing characters . The actor confirmed the newsworthiness , citing"a pure accident"but ensure that"I was break down to be part of it . “The reasonwhy Djimon Hounsou is not inGladiator 2is still somewhat turbid , although scheduling dispute are the most likely explanation . Regardless of the reasonableness , his absence seizure and planned office meantGladiator 2had to change and develop to be a fib without Hounsou ’s Juba . After watching the movie , I realized what story he could have ab initio been involved in .
Gladiator 2’s Numidia Sequence Creates A Connection To Djimon Hounsou’s Juba
The Africa Location Brings Gladiator 2 Close To Juba
When look atGladiator 2and trying to figure out where Juba could have accommodate in , one must first consider what would have happened to the quality afterGladiator ’s close . He is free from being a prizefighter once Maximus kills Commodus and declare the slaves are free . He ’s last seen burying Maximus ' figures of his wife and Word in the sand of the Colosseum before he likely leaves Rome for commodity . Since Juba was originally from Nubia before he was becharm , it would make sense for him to hark back to Africa and seek to find his married woman and Word .
Although the majority ofGladiator 2takes place in Rome , the opening succession with Lucius explores his animation in Numidia , a northern part of Africa , as the Roman army approaches for fight . This gives the movie a minor but potentially important connection to Juba . Numidia and Nubia are both located in the northern part of Africa . Gladiator 2could have had Lucius notice a new life for himself in any part of the world . Scott ’s decision to have him settle down down in the northern regions of Africa is noted because of Juba ’s blood line .
It is possible thatGladiator 2 ’s Numidia battlewas originally imply to be a succession dress in Nubia to more directly tie to Juba . However , Numidia also could be where Djimon Hounsou ’s character was meant to reside all those years afterGladiator . He could have found his bemused family and journey to this newfangled region to start a raw biography for themselves , one where they believed they ’d be dependable from the Roman Empire . In any case , this is the part ofGladiator 2that makes the most sense for Juba to have been need before Hounsou could n’t appear .
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Djimon Hounsou’s Juba Was Likely Replaced By Peter Mensah’s Character In Gladiator 2
Juguratha Very Easily Could’ve Been Juba
Since it ’s confirmed that Hounsou was mean to yield as Juba inGladiator 2,Ridley Scott would ’ve been left with two selection that did not involve recasting once the histrion ’s return became impossible . The first would be to completely rewrite the script and remove the sequences that Juba was involved in . The second option would be rewriting the script to a lesser degree to replace Juba with a make - new lineament . The latter would be easier for Scott and writers David Scarpa and Peter Craig , which could be howGladiator 2came to admit Peter Mensah ’s Juguratha .
Juguratha is introduced inGladiator 2as the tribal chief of Numidia and a mentor to Lucius . He ’s creditworthy for leading the Numidian ground forces into battle with Rome and accompanies Lucius in the hard worker trade wind afterward . Mensah ’s type plays a pivotal role early on thanks to how stuffy his family relationship with Lucius is . It ’s clear from his standing in Numidia thatJuguratha was a skilled warrior in his pastas well , although the injuries he sustained in the battle left him without much strength to campaign the baboons subsequently on .
Gladiator II is an entertaining follow - up to Ridley Scott ’s Gladiator , and several major players feel like echo of characters from the original .
Custom Image by Dabanjan Chowdhury.
Although it ’s not confirmed , and Scott has not addressed it , I think that Juguratha put back Juba once Hounsou could not reprize his purpose . Both characters are wise leader and skilled fighter aircraft , andit ’s well-fixed to opine Juba occupying the same role in the narrative . There ’s not many other places where Hounsou ’s grapheme would naturally fit intoGladiator 2 ’s story based on how it is currently constructed . But with only a few minor changes , Juba could have easily played the same role as Juguratha .
As for the timeline of how these events could have played out , there ’s a short window for it to work . Djimon Hounsou ’s expectedGladiator 2return was first reported on April 28 , 2023 , byTHR , but Peter Mensah was cast a few calendar week afterwards on May 18 , 2023 . It ’s worth noting thatHounsou ’s return was never formally confirmed beforehand of Mensah ’s molding , possibly because everyone was still trying to ferment out the schedule . It ’s potential , though , that Scott already sensed that it would n’t lick before April 28th and wrote Juba out and Juguratha in .
Djimon Hounsou Could’ve Improved Gladiator 2 If This Theory About Juba’s Role Is Right
Juba’s Potential Gladiator 2 Role Would’ve Helped The Movie
My hypothesis about Juba ’s original role inGladiator 2shows an example of how the pic could have been more or less better . Peter Mensah does a not bad job as Juguratha , but the character is a novel face , and he dies too ahead of time on to get bind . This would not be the case with Juba . Seeing Djimon Hounsou restitution to the character and agitate alongside Lucius would ’ve been a cracking momentfor the franchise . Furthermore , his death would have a greater shock on viewers like myself who are fan of the original film or Hounsou as a performer .
This purport role for Juba also would have imply thatGladiator 2would see one of Maximus ' beneficial friend in the area go on to mentor his son . Given Lucius ' secluded identity at this time , there ’s a chance that neither of them would fully understand how their track are connected . If anything , Lucius could have recognise Juba and known about his story in Rome while keeping his actual name a mystery . Gladiator 2could have also aim a different approach and explicate that Lucius hold out to Numidia specifically to be protected by a trusted ally of his biologic father .
AlthoughGladiator 2references Maximus and the original movie a flake too much at time , including Juba in this capacity would still have benefited the film . I would have loved to learn what happened to Hounsou ’s fibre next , and the idea of him directly interact withMaximus ' sonhas the potentiality for great worked up scenes . All the moments of Juguratha and Lucius that callback to Juba and Maximus would be that much more hefty and resonate deeper with viewers .
Djimon Hounsou’s Gladiator 2 Absence Allows For A Better Return In Gladiator 3
Ridley Scott Is Already Thinking About Another Gladiator Movie
As much as I would ’ve loved to see Djimon Hounsou return forGladiator 2 , his absence may be a approving in camouflage if his role was earlier meant to mirror Juguratha ’s bow . There is now the chance for Juba to be featured inGladiator 3 . Ridley Scott is developing another movie in the franchise and has confirm some of the book has already been indite . While there ’s no timetable for whenGladiator 3will be released , it should happen much earlier than the gap between the first two films . This could mean Hounsou find another probability to return as Juba .
Gladiator 3 has yet to be formally harbinger and dated by Paramount
cypher out how and where Juba could factor intoGladiator 3is difficult without knowing exactly where Scott plans to take the enfranchisement next . However , Lucius - and perchance even Maximus - are certain to be postulate in what comes afterGladiator 2 ’s ending . If word spread of what Lucius did and his connection to Maximus , that could top Juba to assay him out and congratulate him on finishing the goal that his founding father had started . That might give Hounsou a much better role in a third film than he could have had inGladiator II .
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