It’s been more than twenty years since the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, and while a sequel had languished in development for years, this year will finally see the release of Gladiator II.
Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal are meant to play key roles in the movie, and a new trailer has been dropped showcasing all the kind of bloody entertainment one can expect from a Gladiator film. Check this out:
After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.
The story pretty much takes place in the same canon as the first Gladiator movie, and it’s been made clear in the previews that Maximus (Russell Crowe) had left his mark in the arena. It’s also worth noting that the set-up for Lucius is pretty much the same, with him being reluctantly dragged into the Gladiator pits, and his ‘promoter’ Macrinus (Denzel Washington) having his own agenda of bringing him in.
Though the first Gladiator did have Maximus going up against the ruler of Rome, this sequel pits Lucius against Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), a Roman general who was said to have served under Maximus. This time, the emperors (Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn) aren’t fighters, but are very much fans of the arena.
With the movie being 20 years old, it was probably the right time for another Gladiator film. I didn’t think they needed to be in the same continuity, but it’s interesting how they were able to call back to the original. So far, the movie still looks like a visual spectacle, and with Mescal and Pascal as the leads, this is sure to be a huge audience draw.
Watch out for Gladiator II when it releases in theatres on Nov. 22.
