Gladiator 2 Trailer Will Reportedly Be Attached to Deadpool & Wolverine

The trailer for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 is expected to be attached to prints of Deadpool & Wolverine when that movie makes its way to theaters on July 26. That would mean a promotional cycle of about four months for the Gladiator sequel, which is coming to theaters in November. The film stars Paul Mescal in the role of Lucius, the son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla, who was saved by Maximus in the 2000 original. Other members of the cast include Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Djimon Hounsou, and Spencer Treat Clark (with Nielsen also reprising her role). Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, whose characters died in the first movie, will not return. Collider broke the news of the trailer release date.

The film started production last year, but stopped when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike. Before it wound production down, set photos emerged featuring a giant, practical Coliseum that will appear onscreen rather than using a CGI backdrop for the setting.

Joseph Quinn will star in the sequel opposite Mescal. Mescal, best known for his role in Normal People, was tapped to head up the sequel last February, with Scott set to return to direct from a script by David Scarpa. It has been about five years since serious reports about a sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator started to circulate, with the script being finished last spring.

Quinn will play Emperor Geta, which was was the name of an actual Roman emperor, but like the first film, the sequel is not based on a true story. Russell Crowe, who headlined the original, will not come back, since his character died at the end of the film. Mescal will be playing Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). Now a grown man, Lucius has grown up with admiration for Maximus (Crowe’s character), who saved him and his mother.

Scott is set to direct and produce the film, along with Scott Free President Michael Pruss, and Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher from Red Wagon Entertainment. Also returning from the original film are Janty Yates (Costume Designer) and Arthur Max (Production Designer).

Gladiator 2 will be in theaters on November 22.

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.