- New trailer delves further into Lucius’ backstory
- Trailer reveals that Lucius is the son of Maximus Decimus Meridius – Russell Crowe’s character from the first Gladiator
- Director Ridley Scott revealed Gladiator II will feature the biggest action sequence he’s ever filmed
The hype train for Gladiator II is showing no signs of slowing down, with a new trailer for Ridley Scott’s upcoming Roman epic dropping this morning.
The film, a sequel to 2000’s Academy Award winning classic Gladiator, stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and Joseph Quinn, and will feature Scott’s biggest ever action sequence. And think of the ground that covers given Scott has overseen the likes of Alien, Blade Runner, The Martian, the original Gladiator and Black Hawk Down.
Speaking to Empire, Scott said, “We begin the film with probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done. Probably bigger than anything in Napoleon.
“Computerization and AI — you have to embrace it,” Scott said in reference to the computer-generated rhino for the scene. “I can have a computer read every molecule and wrinkle on a rhino and then cut it on a thick piece of plastic, absolutely as a rhino’s body, which is then tailored to a skeleton shape.”
The director added, “I have this thing that can do 40 miles an hour, spin on the spot, wag its head and snarl. A two-ton rhino with a guy on its back! I mean, it’s a lot of fun.”
Mescal, meanwhile, who takes the lead as Lucius, is revealed in the trailer to be the son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius – a revelation that proved to be monumental news for the Irish actor when he found out.
“I was like, ‘Holy shit.’ It’s an affronting thing to see it written on the page, and [to have] that responsibility fall on your shoulders is interesting.”
Despite Gladiator II not arriving in theatres until November, Scott has revealed he’s already got ideas for Gladiator III, which it doesn’t seem he will wait the best part of quarter of a century to make, unlike the gap between the first two films.
Scott confirmed in a recent interview with France’s Premiere Magazine, that he is “already toying” with the idea of making a third, comparing his own upcoming sequel to one of the most famous sequels ever made, The Godfather Part II.
“I’m already toying with the idea of Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse,” The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of ‘The Godfather,’ with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘ Now, Father, what do I do? ‘ So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.“
If the second Gladiator is even half as good as the first, then a third will definitely be neccessary.
