Gladiator II is one of the most highly-anticipated films hitting the theatres this fall, and its first trailer is taking us back to the heart of Ancient Rome. Paul Mescal leads the cast this time around, as a gladiator Lucius Verus who’s forced to fight for his life after being imprisoned by the Roman army.
Set over two decades after the events of the first film, Gladiator II centers on Commodus’ nephew Lucius Verus. The son of Marcus Aurelius and Lucilla, he was once the heir to the Roman Empire, but his life takes a wild turn when he’s imprisoned and forced to fight for his life as a gladiator during the rule of the young emperors Caracalla and Geta.
Normal People star Mescal leads the cast, and he’ll be joined by an impressive group of supporting players, including Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi, May Calamawy, and Tim McInnerny.
Ridley Scott, the director of the first Oscar-winning film starring Russell Crowe, returned to direct and produce its sequel. David Scarpa wrote the script, drawing inspiration from the characters created by the original screenwriter David Franzoni.
Gladiator II will hit the theatres worldwide on November 15, before being released in North America on November 22.
