First official pictures of Gladiator 2 show muscle-bound Russell Crowe successor in bloody fight

24 years after Ridley Scott brought his historical epic Gladiator to the cinema, the sequel will be on the big screen in just a few months. Shooting star Paul Mescal (All of us Strangers) Russell Crowe takes on the role of the young Lucius Verus, who emulates his great idol Maximus and now enters the arena as a gladiator himself.

After unofficial set pictures found their way onto the Internet weeks ago, there are now first real pictures of the action sequel – and they show Mescal in a bloody gladiator fight against The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal. As well as Denzel Washington as a wealthy arms dealer on a golden throne.

First Gladiator 2 pictures: Paul Mescal follows in Russell Crowe’s footsteps

Gladiator 2 tells the story of Lucius, who as the young son of the emperor’s daughter Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) watched the fights of Russell Crowe’s Maximus and admired them from the bottom of his heart. Years later, the Roman Empire finds itself in the scheming game of Emperor Greta (Fred Hechinger) and his brother Carcalla (Joseph Quinn), who rules with him, and which threatens to turn the balance of power upside down. In the middle of it all is Lucius, who now fights in the arena as a gladiator himself.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Normal People star Paul Mescal explained the story of Gladiator 2 as Battle between love and power:

[Es geht in Gladiator 2 um das,] what people are willing to do to survive. But also what they do to win. We see that in the arena, but also in the political turmoil that unfolds around my character’s story, where others are seeking power. Where is the place for love, familial connection? And finally, the question: Will these things overcome greed and power? They are often in direct conflict with each other.

Joseph Quinn as the emperor and Denzel Washington as the owner of a gladiator racing stable also appear in the first pictures:

When will Gladiator 2 be in theaters?

Gladiator 2 pulls on 14 November 2024 in German cinemas. To get you in the perfect mood, you can currently watch Ridley Scott’s first Gladiator film via Netflix’s streaming subscription.