Paul Mescal plays the son of an slain gladiator, out for the blood of the Roman Empire. This is the first trailer for director Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel Gladiator II.
Following the death of his father Maximus, Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) lives a quiet life upended when the Roman Empire invades their land, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal).
Swearing revenge against the general, the now-enslaved Lucius is taken in by a ruthless arms dealer named Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and trained as a gladiator, as part of Macrinus’ devilish plan to broker political power amidst the Romans. Now, Lucius will be swept into a political revolution against Rome’s most deadly rulers, but only if he survives the deadly trials of the ancient Colosseum.
While the classic history-adventure epic may be out of fashion, the 1st trailer for Gladiator II looks to breathe life into the long-dormant genre. Unlike similar rebootquels like Ben-Hur, Gladiator II understands not to lose the performance within the spectacle. Star Paul Mescal truly cements himself as Hollywood’s newest A-lister, putting in a performance for the ages. While intensity can often feel cheesy, Mescal nails the hardened heart of a warrior with rage bubbling so ferociously you can feel it steaming off him. If his performance lives up to the hype, we may have found our first Best Actor contender for the year.
Director Ridley Scott isn’t resting on his laurels either. Even in his mid 80s, no one captures epic imagery quite like Ridley, trading the sweeping vistas of the 1st film with a more kinetic style that remains equally impressive on the big screen. Fill out the film with accomplished actors (including Denzel Washington in peak swaggy antihero mode), and Gladiator II may have found the right horses to ride to the top of the box office.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator II will release worldwide theatrically on November 22, 2024. The movie stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington in the titular roles.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.