Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Gladiator II.

Ridley Scott and Denzel Washington nixed a proposed costume detail for Macrinus in Gladiator 2. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winning Gladiator brings an all-new cast of characters, set decades after Maximus’ story. Gladiator 2’s story follows Paul Mescal as Lucius, the now-adult son of Maximus (Russel Crowe), as he navigates the political and physical brutality of the gladiator arena. Denzel Washington plays Macrinus, an opulent and ruthless arms dealer who rose from enslavement into one of the most powerful political players of Ancient Rome.

In an interview with Variety, the film’s costume designer Janty Yates shared that a headpiece had been considered for Macrinus but was rejected by Scott and Washington. Yates previously won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work in Gladiator (2000) and is posed for further acclaim with Washington’s character swathed in rich fabrics and majestic tunics. According to Yates, she initially proposed that Macrinus wear a headpiece to emphasize his vanity, but the idea was scrapped since Washington and Scott didn’t like it. Here’s what she had to say about what Washington does wear in the film:

Denzel did wear [clip-on] earrings, which was great because that gives him a slightly off-center feel. It was brilliant.

What Macrinus’ Lost Headpiece Means For Gladiator II
Exploring Macrinus’ Visual Evolution In The Roman Epic

Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, both a savvy arms dealer and owner of gladiators such as Lucius, provides supplies to Roman armies while maneuvering to destabilize Gladiator II’s twin emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn). Without a headpiece, other costume elements were designed to emphasize Macrinus’ status and duality as both an influential player and an outsider. In a white jacquard silk draped fabric with gold trim, Macrinus faces off with the twins at an opportune time. “We wanted him to look sort of almost innocent,” Yates mentioned, as Macrinus reveals why he’s the true antagonist of the film.

The decision to nix Macrinus’ headpiece came from a long line of ideas that flew to the wayside between development, production, and Scott’s final cut. Washington had previously mentioned that a kiss between him and an unnamed gladiator was cut as well. By rejecting the headpiece (and the kiss), Washington and Scott may have sought to emphasize Macrinus’ commanding presence through subtler visual cues, such as his opulent tunics, his gold-plated chariot, or the hand-embroidered drapes decorating his royal box alongside the Emperors.

Related Gladiator 2 Ending: Macrinus’s Fate & Thematic Connections Explained By Ridley Scott Gladiator 2 director Ridley Scott discusses the fate of Denzel Washington’s Macrinus and the thematic connections that make it a spectacle.

Doing so, Marcinus’ wardrobe and character design becomes a more subtle nod to his role as one of Gladiator II’s most interesting villains, rather than an apparent mark. Macrinus is a wealthy trader operating in the shadows of Roman political society, and his costume reflects this duality—affluence with a ruthless, utilitarian edge.

Our Take On Macrinus’ Headpiece
Sometimes It’s Good To Edit

By focusing on details like gold earrings or silk tunics rather than a potentially distracting headpiece, Gladiator II avoids veering into caricature for one of its most interesting characters. The film’s costume design strikes a balance between historical authenticity and symbolic storytelling, a hallmark of Scott’s epic filmmaking—and Yates’ award-winning costume design. Scott and Washington’s decision to nix the headpiece ultimately ensures Macrinus, while visually striking, is still grounded in the film’s tense political narrative. Whether through costume, dialogue, or Washington’s performance, Gladiator 2’s story shapes up to deliver a villain as compelling and formidable as Commodus.

Source: Variety

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.Release Date November 22, 2024 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures , Universal Pictures , Scott Free Productions , Red Wagon Entertainment Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni Cast Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz Character(s) Lucius Verus , Marcus Acacius , Macrinus , Lucilla , Emperor Caracalla , Emperor Geta , Gracchus Runtime 148 minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand