Hannibal: Zenith (film)

Hannibal: Zenith is a historical epic film based on the Second Punic War and is set in the 'Ancient Rome Cinematic Universe (ARCU). It is the final film of the Hannibal Trilogy and is the sequel to Hannibal: Ascendancy'. The film takes place between 215-181 BC.

The film stars Vin Diesel, Fionn Whitehead, John David Washington, Penelope Cruz, Djimon Hounsou, Winston Duke, and Wentworth Miller. Like the rest of the ARCU, the film is mostly historically accurate, with some minor adjustments in order to make it cinematic.

Plot
In Hispania, Publius Scipio (Matt Nable) and Gnaeus Scipio (Matthew Johns) are killed by Hasdrubal Barca (John David Washington) and his Barcid forces, which include general Hasdrubal Gisco (Mark Lewis Jones). The son of Publius Scipio, Publius Cornelius Scipio (Fionn Whitehead), is distraught and full of vengeance. He remarkably is elected proconsul at the age of 25 and goes to Hispania, despite objections from his mother Pomponia (Kerry Condon).

A new war front develops in Sicily. The leader of Syracuse, King Hiero II (Patrick Gorman) died, and Hannibal (Vin Diesel) dispatched the general Himilco (Richard E. Grant) to succeed in winning Syracuse over to the Carthaginians. A Roman force led by the general Marcus Marcellus (Demian Bichir) invade Syracuse.

Hanno (Tony Shalhoub) joins Hannibal, Mago (Wentworth Miller), Maharbal (Winston Duke), and Imilce (Penelope Cruz) on the Italian front. Hannibal, who was at the gates of Rome, refused to attack, fearing failure and a lack of confidence in his legions. He instead captures the cities of Capua and Tarentum.

In Hispania, Publius Cornelius Scipio succeeds in liberating the area from the Barcids. Orissus (Patrick Wilson), a tribe leader who has been fighting the Barcids over the past two movies, calls Scipio "king", a term that Scipio refuses to bear. Hasdrubal Gisco is killed. Scipio then fights Hasdrubal Barca's legions at the Battle of Baecula and wins. Hasdrubal Barca is killed.

In Syracuse, Marcellus defeats the Carthaginians and the island is under Roman control once again. Himilco is killed. The tide of the war seems to be turning. Hanno sees this a tells Hannibal to end the war and retreat. Hannibal refuses. Maharbal is killed by Gaius Claudius Nero (Ben Foster) and the Romans at the Battle of Grumentum. The Numidian King Masinissa (Djimon Hounsou) switches sides to the Romans.

Scipio and the Romans head to Carthage to end the war. Hanno tries to broker peace, but a battle is imminent. It is agreed that Hannibal, Mago, Imilce and the Carthaginian forces are to fight Scipio, Masinissa, Nero, and the Roman forces at Zama. Mago is killed in a storm at sea on the way to the Battle of Zama.

The climactic battle results in a Roman victory. Imilce is killed.

Scipio is victorious, and the Romans call him "Africanus".

In the epilogue, Hannibal is sequestered to Asia for the rest of his life before Scipio finds him. They talk, but Hannibal realizes that they are there to take him in.

Cast

 * Vin Diesel as Hannibal Barca
 * Fionn Whitehead as Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus
 * John David Washington as Hasdrubal Barca
 * Penelope Cruz as Imilce
 * Djimon Hounsou as King Masinissa
 * Winston Duke as Maharbal
 * Wentworth Miller as Mago Barca
 * Tony Shalhoub as Hanno
 * Ben Foster as Gaius Claudius Nero
 * Demian Bichir as Marcus Claudius Marcellus
 * Richard E. Grant as Himilco
 * Christopher Plummer as The Councillor
 * Mark Lewis Jones as Hasdrubal Gisco
 * Patrick Wilson as Orissus
 * Gary Cole as Quintus Fabius Maximus
 * Kerry Condon as Pomponia
 * Matt Nable as Publius Scipio
 * Matthew Johns as Gnaeus Scipio
 * Karin Konoval as The Sibyl of Cumae
 * Patrick Gorman as King Hiero II

Spin-off TV Series
A spin-off series focusing on the Third Punic War is titled Carthage Must Be Destroyed. It features Scipio Aemilianus and Cato the Elder as main characters. Characters from the Hannibal Trilogy return in the series, such as King Masinissa, Lucius Aemilianus Paullus, and Marcus Marcellus.