Gladiator II, the much-anticipated sequel to the original 2000 movie, will be in London cinemas in less than a month.
More than 24 years after the bloody action film debuted, Paul Mescal will join a stellar line-up of new and original characters coming to the silver screen for the Ridley Scott movie.
Expect dramatic scenes, spectacular yet gruesome battles, and a gripping storyline in what could be one of the biggest movies of the year.
Gladiator II is set in the years following the original film and follows the storyline of Lucius, the former heir to the Roman Empire.
The sequel's premise is that Lucius has learned his father is Maximus, played by Russell Crowe in the original. Sent away from Rome as a child, he returns as a gladiator determined to pursue vengeance and fulfil his destiny (much like his father).
Speaking about the film, Mescal is quoted by Vanity Fair as saying: “What human beings will do to survive, but also what human beings will do to win. We see that in the arena, but also in the political struggle that’s going on outside of my character’s storyline, where you see there are other characters striving and pulling for power.”
Following the release of an intense trailer, fans will likely be counting down the days to the film’s cinematic debut.
Here’s what you need to know.
When is Gladiator II in cinemas?
Gladiator II is due to be released in UK cinemas from November 15.
The film will be screened at most mainstream cinemas around the country, including Odeon, Picturehouse, and Cineworld.
It will also be released to US audiences from November 22.
Who is in the cast with Paul Mescal?
Mescal will be joined in Gladiator II by Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, and Joseph Quinn.
What do you need to remember from the first film?
For those who may not have seen the original Gladiator recently, the movies are set in ancient Rome.
The original follows the epic fictional story of Maximus (Crowe), a former general forced into slavery who rose through the ranks as a gladiator to seek revenge against the emperor, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).
Maximus and Commodus both die following a bitter final battle in the Colosseum, during which Maximus displays his heroism and sheer strength before the crowds.
During the final fight, young Lucius watches on from the sidelines after already developing a friendship with Maximus.
Before he dies of his wounds, Maximus ensures that Rome can be reformed and the gladiators are released.
While there were initial theories during the first film that Lucius was, in fact, Maximus’s son, this detail isn’t revealed until the sequel. Indeed, it gives Mescal’s character added significance as he follows in his father’s footsteps into the gladiator arena.
What has Russell Crowe said about the sequel?
Crowe was killed off in the first film, so couldn’t have much of a say over the sequel.
This summer, the actor said in a podcast: “I’m slightly uncomfortable, the fact that they’re making another one, you know? Because of course, I’m dead, and I have no say in what gets done.
“A couple of things that I’ve heard, I’m like, ‘No, no, no. That’s not in the moral journey of that particular character.’ But you know, I can’t say anything. That’s not my place. I’m six-feet under. So we’ll see what that is like.”
