Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel has entered the great arena. The film’s official logo and title debuted during CinemaCon at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, where Paramount Pictures will present an exclusive sneak peek at its upcoming theatrical slate on April 11. First announced as Untitled Gladiator Sequel and referred to as Gladiator 2, the just-confirmed title is… Gladiator II. Accompanying the logo is a tagline taken from the first film: “What we do in life echoes in eternity,” referencing the words that Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) told his troops before leading them into battle.
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You can see the Gladiator II teaser poster below.
In the sequel set about 15 years after 2000’s Gladiator, Oscar nominee Paul Mescal (Aftersun) plays a grown-up Lucius Verus, son of Lucilla (a returning Connie Nielsen). The original Gladiator starred Crowe as the enslaved general turned gladiator idolized by Lucius (originally played by Spencer Treat Clark), who cheered “the Spaniard” in the games. Maximus died saving Lucius and Lucilla, having avenged his murdered son and wife with the death of power-hungry Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).
The Gladiator II cast includes two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington (Glory, Training Day) as a slave-turned-gladiator-turned arms and commodity dealer, and Pedro Pascal (Star Wars: The Mandalorian), May Calamawy (Moon Knight), Peter Mensah (300), Matt Lucas (Alice in Wonderland), Lior Raz (6 Underground), and Tim McInnerny (Blackadder) in undisclosed roles. Joseph Quinn (The Fantastic Four)and Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) play co-emperors Caracalla and Geta. Scott, who directed the Best Picture-winning Gladiator, also directs the sequel penned by David Scarpa (Napoleon). The new movie also reunites Scott with Oscar-winning Gladiator costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max.
“I didn’t know what to expect when the story started up, and inhindsight, it was almost inevitable — of course we had to tell thatstory,” Nielsen recently told ComicBook of continuing Lucius and Lucilla’s story in Gladiator II. “It was incredible — Ridley has puttogether an incredible cast as always, and a magnificent spectacle thatis rooted in real heart. As always with him, you have to usesuperlatives.”
Gladiator II opens only in theaters November 22.
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Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
