| Nex
is Latin for violent death; murder.
This is one of the few
"serious" pieces I've put together. Generally I like a good laugh and so
most of my concepts are oriented towards (silly) humor.
But after encountering
a report about Roman ruins very close to where I used to live in Wantage,
Oxfordshire, England, which triggered memories of the location of a putative
Roman road that ran beneath our garden (and was jackhammered up to allow
us to plant vegetables), I did some research and pulled together a few
disparate threads into a sequel to Gladiator (the 2000 version).
A recap of the players
in Gladiator (2000):
The story is based on
the lives and actions of Commodus (Joachin Phoenix), Maximus (Russell Crowe),
Lucilla (Connie Nelson) and Marcus Aurelius (the late Richard Harris).
At the end of the film,
Marcus Aurelius is dead (suffocated by Commodus), Commodus is dead (killed
by Maximus in a fight), and we are left to assume that Maximus too, dies
as a result of foul play by Commodus during the fight. Only Lucilla and
her son Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark) survive.
Historical records show
that Commodus was a twin. His brother, Antoninus, apparently died at about
the age of four. The records also seem to show different demises for Narcissus,
the wrestler upon whom the character of Maximus is based, creating some
confusion as to his ultimate fate. |
Veni,
vidi, neci. "I came, I saw, I murdered" is the general translation. Nex
(murder, violent death) weaves a complex story that makes use of some key
pieces of information (that at one time Commodus had a twin brother and
that Maximus might not have died after all) although it is based less on
historical fact (much is based on events that did occur, just not necessarily
to these players) and more on "what if" speculation. It combines unrequited
love, pathological hatred and political intrigue with action and adventure,
and allows at least two of the characters from Gladiator (2000) to be resurrected
after a fashion, to meet and fight again.
The pitch/premise is
on WriteSafe
and here. |