Return to the Coliseum: Gladiator II Trailer Drops

 The crowd is chanting. The dual emperors of Rome are thirsty for blood. Step back into the coliseum, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for glorious combat.

Gladiator II

After weeks of teaser images and previews, the first trailer for Gladiator II is finally here, and it’s absolutely stunning. The anticipation for this sequel rivals the excitement for the original Gladiator nearly 25 years ago. I even dusted off my 4K Blu-ray of the original to relive the epic tale before diving into the new adventure.

Gladiator II picks up years after the original, following Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of the villainous Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). In the first film, Lucius was a boy, played by Spencer Treat Clark. His mother sent him away to Africa to escape Rome's grasp, but now he has returned as a gladiator. In the sequel, he encounters the powerful and scheming Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and General Marcus Acacius, who once served under General Maximus (Russell Crowe).

The trailer promises a film as epic and grand as its predecessor, with an even more star-studded cast. Mescal, a young Irish actor, may be the least well-known among the leads, but director Ridley Scott became a fan after watching his performance in Normal People. Their brief half-hour conversation convinced Scott to cast him. Mescal also starred in Aftersun, which received rave reviews and recently landed on Netflix.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Mescal described the brutal challenges of filming the battle scenes. "It's brutal, man. I call him Brick Wall Paul," he said of his co-star. "He got so strong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again. To go up against somebody that fit and that talented and that much younger… Outside of Ridley being a total genius, Paul is a big reason why I would put my poor body through that experience."

Mescal explained that he focused on fight choreography rather than just looking like an underwear model. "I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage," he told Vanity Fair.

Nielsen, reprising her role as Lucilla, praised Mescal. "What a gift that guy is. Even to play with, to work with, I just absolutely love him, and he’s so perfect for this role. He is one of those rare actors who really has heart, soul, and at the same time this incredible gift of transformation."

Rounding out the cast are Fred Hechinger (Thelma) as Emperor Caracalla and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Emperor Geta. The trailer hints at their unhinged portrayals.

For Ridley Scott, this sequel holds significant meaning, especially after passing on directing sequels to some of his other classics. "I mean, I should have done the sequels to Alien and Blade Runner. You change over the years. At that time, I didn’t want to go through it again." James Cameron and Denis Villeneuve directed the sequels to Alien and Blade Runner 2049, respectively. Reflecting on his early career, Scott remarked, "I was never told or asked. You can imagine I wasn’t happy."

The only downside in the trailer is the jarring inclusion of hip-hop music, likely a marketing attempt to attract a younger audience, many of whom weren't born when the original film was released. It doesn’t quite fit.

Gladiator II opens in theaters on November 22nd. Alongside Deadpool & Wolverine, this is one of my most-anticipated films for the latter half of 2024.