Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal get sweaty and bloody in the new trailer for Gladiator 2.

On 22 November, movie enthusiasts will finally be treated to the sequel to Ridley Scott’s critically acclaimed 2000 film, which starred Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.

Set over two decades after the events of the first Gladiator, the epic action feature follows Lucius Verus (Mescal), the son of Maximus (Crowe), and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who’s forced to follow in his father’s footsteps of Collessum fighting.

The official synopsis for the film reads: “Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honour to return the glory of Rome to its people.”

With the premiere date for Gladiator 2 only two months away, Paramount Pictures treated fans to a jaw-dropping new trailer featuring Mescal and Pescal in all their sweaty and handsome glory.

At the start of the video, Macrinus (Denzel Washington) discusses the art of choosing gladiators while scenes of a shirtless and downtrodden Lucius flash across the screen.

It then transitions to a sweaty General Marcus Acacius (Pascal) raiding a city that appears to be Lucius’ home.  

“I claim this city for the glory of Rome,” he states before walking past Mescal’s imprisoned character.

As the trailer progresses, Macrinus reveals that he owns Lucius before adding: “But whose head could I give you to satisfy your fury?”

“The general will do. Rome has taken everything from me. But I will have my vengeance,” Lucius says in response.

 

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In addition to the captivating acting moments, the teaser featured an array of action-packed moments, ranging from ship battles in shark-infested waters to showdowns with man-eating monkeys.

Following the release of the jaw-dropping trailer, fans have flocked to social media to express their excitement for Mescal and Pascal’s upcoming performances.

One person on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “Me and the girls will be watching for the plot.”

Another viewer tweeted: “Oh Marcus Acacius, you can get it.”

A third user added: “The Mescal x Pascal press tour might be the death of me.”

Gladiator 2 also features Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, Rory McCann as Tegula and Derek Jacobi as Gracchus.

Check out the exciting new trailer here or below.