Gladiator 2: Paramount Unsheathes First Trailer for Roman Epic
A new legion’s worth of gladiators is ready to do battle for strength and honor in the first trailer for the new Roman epic from Paramount Pictures, Gladiator 2.
This film is a sequel to Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), the film is considered an iconic piece of modern media. Considered one of the greatest films of the twenty-first century, Gladiator holds five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. But now, nearly 20 years later, director Ridley Scott (Napoleon) is bringing audiences back to Ancient Rome once again.
First posters for Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal in ‘GLADIATOR 2’ pic.twitter.com/vuVZ1PD7ho
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After journalists received a first look at Gladiator 2 at CinamaCon in April, the official trailer has now been released to the masses. In it, soon-to-be Colosseum spectators will meet Lucius Veras, our new protagonist portrayed by Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers). Similar to Crowe’s Maximus, Lucius is a well-off Roman who ends up carted off to fight in the Colosseum.
Fans might remember him from the first Gladiator film, where he was the nephew to Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus. But now Lucius will follow in Maximus’s footsteps and fight for freedom in the arena.
In addition to Mescal, a whole host of other actors are donning their togas and armor in the Roman Empire. Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman) reprises her role as Lucilla from the first film. Oscar-winner Denzel Washington appears as Macrinus the slave-broker. In addition, Joseph Quinn (A Quiet Place Day One) and Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) portray co-emperors Geta and Carcella. Finally, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) will portray the villainous general Marcus Acacius, who trained directly under Maximus many years ago.
First posters for Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn in ‘GLADIATOR 2’ pic.twitter.com/SzUtSiXXuL
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Work on a sequel first began in 2001, but pre-production would not begin until Mescal’s casting in January of 2023. Filming officially started in June of 2023 but was put on hold for five months due to the joint writer’s and actors strikes. Luckily, filming picked up again in December before production officially wrapped in June. Due to the multiple delays, the film’s budget is estimated to be between 250 and 310 million dollars, far more than its intended 165 million dollar budget.
Gladiator 2 hits theatres on November 22, directly competing with Universal’s Wicked. Check out the film’s trailer below.
