Gladiator II: Paul Mescal battles a rhino in upcoming film
Paul Mescal takes on the role of Lucius, who is the grandson of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius in the original Gladiator movie.
The preview for Ridley Scott's follow-up to Gladiator has been released, featuring numerous grand scenes such as a water battle in the Colosseum in Rome and Paul Mescal getting charged by a rhinoceros.
In the new film All Of Us Strangers, newcomer Mescal takes on the role of Lucius, battling for survival in the arena as a gladiator. Despite his noble lineage as the nephew of the corrupt ex-Emperor Commodus, he must fight to stay alive.
In 2000, Sir Ridley released his debut film featuring Russell Crowe in the role of Maximus, a soldier who becomes a gladiator. This movie was a huge success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Crowe.
In the trailer, Lucius reminisces about his past as a young child, witnessing the epic showdown between Maximus, a former Roman commander, and his uncle in the arena.
"I can still vividly recall that moment. It remains etched in my memory, the day a servant sought vengeance on a ruler," Lucius recalls, as we witness a flashback from the initial movie, with his mother pulling him away to safety.
A rhino is used in a show in the arena.
Here's a brief summary of the initial Gladiator movie: the story centers on the honorable Roman leader, Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is chosen to take over the position of emperor from the sick Marcus Aurelius.
However, Commodus assassinated the emperor and became the new ruler. After murdering Maximus' family and enslaving him, Maximus fought his way up to become a gladiator. He then returned to Rome seeking vengeance.
According to World History Encyclopedia, gladiatorial fights were viewed as violent entertainment and a way for emperors to showcase their riches. These events drew crowds of up to 50,000 people who witnessed battles that determined life or death for the fighters.
In some fights, there were dangerous animals involved - Gladiator had tigers in the fighting arena, and in the next movie, a fierce rhinoceros with a bloody horn rushes at Mescal in a threatening manner.
It's safe to say that the initial movie sparked a lot of enthusiasm among fans of Crowe's strong performance as Maximus.
After Mescal gained a lot more fans due to his role in the BBC show Normal People, it's likely that his part in Gladiator II could have a similar effect.
The arena has been transformed into a place where a intense water battle is taking place - but could there be sharks involved?
Denzel Washington, playing the role of the gladiator sponsor Macrinus, informs Lucius, "Your anger is your strength."
Lucius strongly resembles the noble Maximus, fighting from a position of disadvantage but with a greater purpose in mind.
In the next installment, Lucius was seized from his distant residence and taken to Rome as a captive.
He takes on the role of a fighter in Macrinus's arena, supported by Denzel Washington, who plays the character similar to Oliver Reed's Proximo in the original movie.
Lucius defends his inheritance, claiming he is unsure of his place of birth and stating, "I never had the experience of having parents."
"I will use you to achieve my goals," Macrinus replies.
The blog reveals that the current twin emperors, portrayed by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, are also involved in corrupt activities. They are shown laughing in a sinister manner as gladiators perish in a staged water battle (based on historical events).
Lucius's mother, portrayed by Connie Nielsen in the first movie, looks on in terror as her son battles below, unsure if she even realizes it's him.
Yet, she completes the circle for him by returning him to Maximus, presenting him with a ring that once belonged to the Roman general before his death.
Connie Nielsen portrays Lucilla, the daughter of the deceased Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Similar to the original, the movie seems to be focused on how power can be corrupting, with brave individuals fighting against the powerful rulers of Rome.
Lucius believes in prioritizing "strength and honor", whereas Marcus Acacius, portrayed by Pedro Pascal from The Last of Us, declares, "I refuse to sacrifice more young men for their pride." This sentiment is shown alongside scenes of the emperors.
We still lack sufficient information about Pascal's character to determine his true moral compass.
The preview concludes with Mescal and Pascal facing off in the arena, with the gladiator appearing to be in control as he holds two swords crossed at the army general's neck.
Mescal and Pascal face off in a dramatic showdown in the final moments of the trailer.
Early reactions to X were a blend of favorable and unfavorable opinions, with certain individuals eagerly anticipating the follow-up, while others expressed doubts about its ability to surpass the original.
Some spectators noticed what appeared to be sharks in the fight scene, with director Kyle Prohaska commenting, "I'm fully committed to Gladiator II. I'll watch it just for those crazy scenes. Sharks in the arena? A rhino? Denzel? Give me a break. This might be an unexpected sequel, but it seems to be more impressive than others."
In another entry on the blog, a user named @FilmmakerJeff shared their opinion on the trailer, describing it as "disappointing".
"I regret to inform you that I am not a supporter of the Gladiator II trailer," he stated.
I didn't like the music at all. It didn't give me any confidence that it would be as good as the original. Honestly, it seems like it might be decent at most. My excitement level went down a bit.
Director Ridley Scott and actor Paul Mescal filming together on the movie set
There was also debate on social media about the soundtrack, which featured the song No Church in the Wild by Jay-Z and Kanye West.
A person commented, saying, "Why do they need to include Jay-Z and Kanye West in the sequel to Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott? They should stop forcing songs into trailers."
Yet another person agreed and commented, saying, "The intense hip-hop music is perfect for the Gladiator 2 trailer. It suits the time period perfectly."
In an interview with Deadline last year, Sir Ridley, the director behind the critically acclaimed film Napoleon, explained that he decided to make Gladiator II for financial reasons.
I believed that the initial movie was already perfect in terms of creativity and satisfaction, so why make any changes to it?
"However, these patterns continue repeating consistently around the world for the past two decades. Over time, it became clear and evolved into a common practice."
The sequel to Gladiator will be coming out in UK movie theaters in November.
