Gladiator fans have been patiently sitting in hope for 24 years whilst Hollywood has dangled the idea of a sequel above their heads but this week prayers have been answered by the Paramount God’s themselves.
Legendary director Ridley Scott appears to have done it again as the action packed trailer teases fans and leaves them itching for the entirety of the Roman saga.
Action junkies have been advised to clear their calendars on November 14 as they have a date with the cinema.
With Paul Mescal’s steamy (and often shirtless) portrayal of Lucius, movie theatre’s, there’s something for everyone.
The film takes place years after the death of Lucius uncle Maximus, who was played by Russell Crowe.
Since the first film Rome has been taken over by tyrannical Emperors who are forcing Lucius into slavery leading him to enter the Colosseum as a gladiator and challenge the Emperors.
Along with Mescal are big name celebrities including Pedro Pascal playing General Marcus Acacius, Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta and Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla.
The Equalizer’s Denzel Washington plays Macrinus and Connie Nielsen returns as Mescal’s mother Lucilla.
During an interview with Vanity Fair Pascal spoke about his fight scene with Mescal calling it “brutal.”
“I call him Brick Wall Paul. He got so strong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again,” he joked.
“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 as to why I would put my poor body through that experience.”
Mescal’s role of Lucius required him to train “hard” as he “wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan.”
“I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior,” he said.”
“Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling.”
“You carry yourself differently which has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film” Mescal said.