After 24 years since the original movie came out, Gladiator II is on the way to theaters and the first trailer has just dropped. The highly-anticipated Ridley Scott historical drama stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington.
Distributed by Paramount, the network shared the first trailer and on social media captioned it, “From director Ridley Scott, watch the new Official Trailer for #GladiatorII starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger – Only in theaters November 22.”
Lucius, the son of Lucilla and nephew of the original film’s antagonist, Commodus, was portrayed as a child by Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator. The sequel takes place years later, with Lucius now residing in the northern African region of Numidia, where his mother sent him as a child to keep him beyond the Roman Empire’s reach. Circumstances draw Lucius back to Rome as a gladiator, where he faces new adversaries and reunites with his mother.
The trailer mostly showcases the scenes revealed at CinemaCon in April, featuring Mescal battling a rhino, a breathtaking sea battle in the Colosseum, and Mescal clashing swords with Pedro Pascal. The supporting cast features Denzel Washington as Macrinus, a wealthy powerbroker in Rome, and Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger as the twin emperors of Rome.
Moreover, the plot is expected to center on Lucius, who lives peacefully with his family in Numidia until General Marcus Acacius invades the city, forcing Lucius into slavery. Motivated by Russell Crowe’s Maximus, Lucius becomes a gladiator to challenge the reign of Emperors Caracalla and Geta.
Gladiator II is set to compete with Universal Pictures’ Wicked: Part One and Angel Studios’ drama Bonhoeffer. Paramount’s recent release, A Quiet Place: Day One, has grossed over $178 million globally. Upcoming films from the studio include Transformers One on September 20, Smile 2 on October 18, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on December 20, and the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man on December 25.
