Paramount Pictures has released the trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn & Fred Hechinger. The film will be released in theaters on November 22nd.
Plot Synopsis: From legendary director Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
What do you all think of the trailer? This looks a hell of a lot better than I ever expected it would. I don’t know if I would have used such a modern artist/song to accompany the trailer for something set in Ancient Rome, but otherwise, this blew me away. Retaining the same visual style as the Best Picture-winning “Gladiator” from nearly 25 years ago, “Gladiator II” looks far grander and more epic given what is possible with today’s technology. The trailer gave us much to digest, including moments for each cast member to shine. The story feels somewhat muddled, but the action spectacle appears larger and preposterously grandiose (Rhinos!? Water in the Colosseum?!). I think Paul Mescal is going to impress a lot of people with his performance here, while Quinn and Hechinger look to be downright evil. And then, of course, there’s Denzel, reuniting with Scott, looking as commanding as ever (although, also slightly too contemporary for this?) and the charismatic Pascal as the eye of Mescal’s vengeance, perhaps in a more sympathetic role? But we’ll save these questions for when we fully see the film. For now, Paramount Pictures gave us plenty to savor until this November. Ridley Scott may be incredibly hit or miss with his directorial output, but there’s no denying that when it comes to scale, there are very few who can deliver a big-screen experience like this promises to be. As someone who was vastly entertained by the original film, I’m officially all aboard the hype train for this sequel. What do you all think, though? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
