Gladiator II Trailer: Rage And Revenge

Gladiator II distributor Paramount Pictures dropped the first official trailer for the film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington in key roles. As reported earlier, the film is an official sequel to Ridley Scott's Oscar Best Picture winner Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and Nielsen in pivotal roles.

The trailer for the Gladiator sequel starts with a throwback to the epic climatic battle in the 2000 original and goes on to give a glimpse into the plot of the film, involving a clash between slave-turned-gladiator Lucius (Mescal) and Roman general Marcus Acacius (Pascal). Lucius is reportedly the son of Nielsen's character Lucilla and the nephew of Commodus (Phoenix). 

Spencer Treat Clark played Lucius as a child in Gladiator, something that the trailer for the sequel also shows. Going by the trailer, Lucius seems like a Maximus-inspired character who takes on not just Marcus but also the two Roman emperors, played by Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn, respectively.

Dengel Washington plays Macrinus, who is described as a Roman powerbroker. Macrinus seems like an ally to Lucius, a bit like how Djimon Hounsou is to Maximus in the first film. Ridley Scott directed Gladiator II from a David Scarpa screenplay, based on a story by Peter Craig and the characters created by David Franzoni. Gladiator II is slated for a November 22 release.