Breaking down the role, the director said that his version of Macrinus "was a prisoner of war — probably at a North African state — and actually was taken to Rome probably as a gladiator. Survived. Got free. Got into the business of maybe making wine and bread. He evolved into a very rich merchant selling shit to the Roman armies — food, oil, wine, cloth, weapons, everything."
It's a spoiler so be warned if anyone actually cares.
Macrinus wants to topple Rome because he was a slave of Marcus Aurelius. He mocks the dream of Rome envisioned by dead/old (white) men and wants Rome destroyed because he's butthurt. Then the grandson of his master kills him and thwarts his plan. There's something funny there.
Maybe that should have been the movie.
Denzel Washington as Nicolas Cage as Lord of War, in Rome?
...I'd watch it.
A black African warlord flashing his bling in the colosseum and speaking “New Yorker” to all the Romans.
“Yo, we killin’ Caesar, you feel me?”
lol, if that doesn’t win the Oscar, I dunno what will.
It's a spoiler so be warned if anyone actually cares.
Macrinus wants to topple Rome because he was a slave of Marcus Aurelius. He mocks the dream of Rome envisioned by dead/old (white) men and wants Rome destroyed because he's butthurt. Then the grandson of his master kills him and thwarts his plan. There's something funny there.