Are you not entertained!? Actually, yes, we are feeling immensely entertained after witnessing the newest trailer for the swords-and-sandals epic sequel, Gladiator 2. Directed once again by Ridley Scott and featuring an all-star cast, it’s looking more and more like the follow-up will somehow manage to live up to the legacy left behind by its Oscar winning predecessor.
You can check out the latest look at Gladiator 2 below.
Gladiator 2 sees Oscar nominee Ridley Scott return to direct more than two decades since the first movie achieved critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The sequel has amassed a stellar ensemble cast, and includes Paul Mescal (Aftersun) in the lead as Lucius Verus alongside Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as Roman general Marcus Acacius, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, Fantastic Four) as Caracalla, Fred Hechinger (Kraven the Hunter) as Geta, as well as Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, who both reprise their roles from the first movie, May Calamawy (Moon Knight), Lior Raz (The Crowded Room), Peter Mensah (300, Avatar), and Hollywood icon Denzel Washington.
“From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Ridley Scott Is Already Planning Gladiator 3
While Gladiator 2 took more than 20 years to arrive, Ridley Scott has now revealed that audiences could be waiting for much less time for a third outing. Speaking recently with Première, the filmmaker revealed that he now has an idea for Gladiator 3, declaring that he’s “lit the fuse.”
“With that, I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3 . No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse… The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather , with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘ Now, Father, what do I do? ‘ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
And it seems that the idea goes beyond just the “written on the back of a napkin” stage, as Scott has already discussed the potential threequel with star Paul Mescal. Which, oddly, either reveals that he will survive the events of Gladiator 2 (unlike his hero Maximum) or that Scott plans to use the once-abandoned idea of the main character achieving immortality and fighting his way through history. Mescal revealed…
“Yes, Ridley spoke to me about it, but only yesterday! So I’m waiting to see what’s going to happen, but I’m interested, of course. But we can’t rush anything: the story has to hold together.”
Gladiator II
is scheduled to be released in the United States on November 22.