In the newly released trailer for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, Paul Mescal steps into the bloody and sweat-soaked arena, fighting to save Rome.
Mescal stars as Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus, the villain portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in the original 2000 film. The sequel takes place years later, with Lucius now an adult living in Numidia, Northern Africa, where his mother sent him as a child. Circumstances lead him back to Rome, where he returns as a gladiator, facing new enemies and reuniting with his mother.
The trailer reveals a major twist: Lucius is actually the son of Maximus Decimus Meridius, Russell Crowe’s heroic protagonist from the original film. As Lucius prepares for battle, Lucilla reveals his true parentage, saying, “Take your father’s strength. His name was Maximus. And I see him in you.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mescal shared his reaction to learning about his character’s lineage:
“I was like, ‘Holy shit.’ It’s a big responsibility to take on.”
The sequel boasts an impressive supporting cast. Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius, a Roman general trained by Maximus. Denzel Washington portrays Macrinus, a powerful figure in Rome who owns a stable of gladiators. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger take on the roles of twin emperors of Rome.
Director Ridley Scott has teased that Gladiator 2 will feature the largest action sequence of his career, even surpassing the scale of his upcoming film Napoleon. Known for iconic films like Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian, Scott continues to deliver stunning cinematic spectacles.
Scott was impressed by Mescal’s breakout performance in Normal People and decided he was the perfect fit for the role after a brief conversation. Mescal’s physical transformation for the role didn’t go unnoticed either. Pascal jokingly nicknamed him “Brick Wall Paul,” admitting that fighting him in the arena was no easy task: “He got so strong. I’d rather be thrown from a building than fight him again.”
The highly anticipated Gladiator 2 is set to hit theaters on Nov. 22.
Watch the trailer below.