Gladiator 2 trailer : Paul Mescal Faces Off Against a Rhino

FDN Team
3 Min Read

The trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” has been released, showing exciting scenes like a water battle in the Colosseum and Paul Mescal fighting a rhino.

Paul Mescal, known for “All Of Us Strangers,” plays Lucius, the nephew of the former corrupt Emperor Commodus. Despite being from a high-status family, Lucius must fight as a gladiator.

Ridley Scott’s first “Gladiator” movie, which came out in 2000 and starred Russell Crowe as the soldier-turned-gladiator Maximus, won five Oscars, including Best Actor.

The new trailer starts with Lucius remembering his childhood, especially the day Maximus defeated his uncle in the arena. He says, “I remember that day. I never forgot it, that a slave could take revenge against an emperor.” There’s a flashback showing young Lucius being saved by his mother.

For those who need a reminder, the first “Gladiator” movie is about Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general chosen by Emperor Marcus Aurelius to succeed him. But Commodus kills the emperor, takes the throne, and kills Maximus’ family, turning him into a slave. Maximus becomes a gladiator and seeks revenge in Rome.

Gladiatorial contests were brutal events that drew large crowds, often involving wild animals. The first “Gladiator” movie had tigers, while the sequel shows a rhino charging at Lucius.

The original movie was a huge success, partly due to Crowe’s strong performance. With Mescal’s growing popularity from “Normal People,” his role as Lucius in “Gladiator II” is expected to be impactful. Like Maximus, Lucius fights for a bigger purpose despite his tough situation.

In the sequel, Lucius is captured and taken to Rome as a prisoner, where he becomes a gladiator under Macrinus, played by Denzel Washington. This is similar to the role of Oliver Reed’s character in the first movie. Lucius, not knowing his origins, says, “I never knew a mother or father,” to which Macrinus replies, “You will be my instrument.”

The new emperors, played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, seem corrupt and are shown laughing during a deadly water battle. Lucius’s mother, Lucilla, played again by Connie Nielsen, watches in horror as her son fights, though it’s unclear if she recognizes him. She eventually gives Lucius a ring that belonged to Maximus, connecting him to the fallen general.

The sequel continues themes of fighting against corruption and standing up to powerful rulers. Lucius values “strength and honor,” while another general, Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal, says, “I will not waste another generation of young men for their vanity.”

The trailer ends with a dramatic scene of Mescal and Pascal fighting in the arena, with Lucius appearing to have the upper hand, holding two swords crossed over the general’s neck.

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