Joesph Quinn’s character in Gladiator 2 seems completely different from his previous roles, and I’m absolutely all-in with this career shift. Like most people, I first became familiar with the English actor from his portrayal as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things season 4. Even though Quinn stole our hearts with his standout performance as the heroic rebel, he’d already been in the industry for about a decade. Quinn’s first major acting work came in BBC One’s Dickensian before appearing in shows like Game of Thrones, Les Misérables, and Catherine the Great. Though he’s appeared in a handful of movies, Gladiator 2 will mark Quinn’s biggest film yet.

2024 is a massive year for Joseph Quinn fans like myself. Prior to his role in Gladiator 2 toward the end of the year, Quinn had a lead role in A Quiet Place: Day One as Eric opposite Lupita Nyong’o’s Sam. Despite A Quiet Place: Day One‘s small cast, Quinn was a highlight of the movie, so I’m very excited to see how he tackles an even bigger project in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 story. That said, it’s important to note how impressive Gladiator 2‘s cast turned out to be. While several notable names like Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal are involved in the sequel, I can’t wait to see Quinn’s performance.

Joseph Quinn’s Role As Emperor Geta In Gladiator 2 Is So Much Different Than His Past Roles

Joseph Quinn Had Previously Portrayed Charming Characters

Joesph Quinn is set to play one of Gladiator 2‘s pair of emperors, Geta. Alongside Fred Hechinger’s Emperor Caracalla, Geta rules Rome with a similar tenacity seen through Commodus’ reign in the original Gladiator movie. The brothers and co-emperors certainly seem a bit unhinged, proving that Quinn’s Gladiator 2 role will be like nothing I’ve seen from the character thus far in his career. Geta and Caracalla obviously take pleasure in seeing the brutality on display in the form of gladiator entertainment, which is no surprise when it comes to emperors. However, their light hair, pale skin, and unsettling facial expressions bring a sense of creepiness to the characters that I’m intrigued to see more of.

Even if Quinn’s Emperor Geta has only a portion of the madness seen in Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, it would be thrilling to see the actor in something so different from his past. Stranger Things instantly turned Quinn into a fan-favorite, transforming the misunderstood Dungeons & Dragons-loving musician into one of the bravest souls featured in the series. Eddie’s charm and loyalty instantly won me over, and it was no surprise that Quinn’s A Quiet Place character also shared some of the same traits as Eddie. I’m thoroughly convinced that it’s just Quinn’s own charm spilling into these roles. Therefore, it will be nice to see Quinn tackle something drastically different in Gladiator 2.

Joseph Quinn’s Career After Stranger Things Keeps Getting More Exciting

The Stranger Things Actor Has Several Big Projects Lined Up

As excited as I am to see Quinn play a power-hungry emperor in Gladiator 2, even if his unsettling appearance will give me nightmares, I’m also greatly looking forward to his other projects beyond Ridley Scott’s historical epic. Stranger Things may have propelled Quinn to a new level of stardom, but his career trajectory only keeps getting better. Following Gladiator 2, the 30-year-old actor will appear in Alex Garland’s next movie, Warfare. Of course, Quinn’s role as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in The Fantastic Four movie is what I truly have circled and underlined on my list of upcoming movies.

After endless fan-casting, Quinn was announced as part of the MCU’s upcoming iteration of Marvel’s First Family, but that’s not all. The actor will also lead an upcoming horror movie titled Relapse, and there’s hope Quinn will reprise his role as Eric for another A Quiet Place spinoff. Even though I’ve accepted Eddie’s death in Stranger Things season 4, a small part of me is holding out hope that Quinn will appear briefly in the show’s final season somehow. But if that’s not the case, I expect we will all be fully satisfied after Quinn’s upcoming role in Gladiator 2 and everything else he has lined up.