More than two decades after Maximus Decimus Meridius captivated audiences in 2000's Gladiator, director Ridley Scott prepares to return to the gladiatorial arena with a sequel. The first images from Gladiator II have been unveiled by Vanity Fair, offering a glimpse into the new cast and hinting at the story's direction.
Following the immense success of the original film, which won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Scott reunites with the world of gladiatorial combat. Details surrounding the plot remain under wraps, but the first images hint at a narrative that both honours the legacy of the first film and carves its own path.
First Look: Paul Mescal is Lucius in 'Gladiator II.'
See more images from Ridley Scott's upcoming film: https://t.co/WWYVKnybYX pic.twitter.com/Y1WFNN0rWJ
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 1, 2024
Stepping into the arena this time is Paul Mescal, known for his breakout role in the series Normal People. Mescal portrays Lucius, the son of the original film's protagonist, General Maximus Decimus Meridius (played by Russell Crowe). The images showcase a battle-hardened Lucius, suggesting he may follow in his father's footsteps as a gladiator.
Mescal is joined by an impressive ensemble cast. The returning Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, the sister of the fallen emperor Commodus, who played a pivotal role in Maximus' story.
Prepare to be entertained. Your first look at ‘Gladiator II,’ starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and more, has arrived.
????: https://t.co/DIGAL9DVRf pic.twitter.com/KKz7IxCD34
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 1, 2024
Pedro Pascal graces the screen as well General Marcus Acacius, who is a Roman general who have said to have “trained as a junior officer under Crowe’s character, although he wasn’t seen in the first movie.”
Denzel Washington joins the cast in a role of a powerbroker named Macrinus. “Denzel is an arms dealer who supplies food for the armies in Europe, supplies wine and oil, makes steel, makes spears, weapons, cannons, and catapults. So he is a very wealthy man. Instead of having a stable of racehorses, he has a stable of gladiators,” Scott told Vanity Fair. “He’s beautiful. He drives a golden Ferrari. I got him a gold-plated chariot.”
First look at Joseph Quinn and Denzel Washington in ‘GLADIATOR 2’
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— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 1, 2024
Rounding out the cast are Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn as Emperor Caracalla and Emperor Geta, respectively, who are young rulers of Rome, who are also twins.
The first images offer a tantalizing taste of the film's visual style. The Colosseum appears to be a central location once more, with shots depicting both brutal gladiatorial battles and moments of tense contemplation within the arena's walls.
The first images showcase Mescal's Lucius as a hardened young man, a stark contrast to the innocent child from the original film. Vanity Fair reveals that Lucilla sent Lucius to a remote region in North Africa, far from the reach of the Roman Empire. This decision, shrouded in secrecy, fuels Lucius' resentment as he grows up. The film is slated for November 15, 2024 release.
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