Ridley Scott promises epic return in 'Gladiator 2'

On November 22, "Gladiator 2," directed by Ridley Scott, will hit theaters in Poland. The film has been in the making for nearly two decades with several breaks. The production went through various upheavals, but when the first images from the film appeared and later the first trailer, many skeptics began to realize that reviving this project makes sense, even if the story lacks Russell Crowe. Ridley Scott, known for his very direct comments, decided to stir more interest in his mega-production.

The action of the new film takes place 24 years after the events of the first "Gladiator." This time, the main focus is on Lucius Verus, played by a young Spencer Treat Clark in 2000. In the new film, Paul Mescal ("Good Strangers," "Aftersun") takes on the role. Lucius becomes a gladiator, although he is the heir to the Roman Empire's throne. He falls into the hands of Macrinus, a wealthy man who owns gladiators, in an empire ruled by two brutal leaders - Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).

The initial images showed that Ridley Scott was preparing a brutal spectacle. The trailer made an even bigger impression on internet users. Battle scenes are one thing. "Gladiator" fans appreciated that, after decades, Scott finally created a scene with a rhinoceros, which will also appear in the gladiatorial arena. When the first film was made, the special effects were not advanced enough to make this possible.

In an interview with "Empire," Ridley Scott admitted that "Gladiator 2" is the best film he has ever made. After a moment, the director corrected himself and added that it is "one of the best" because he has made "a few good ones." "It's full-scale, brutal action," he commented. Paul Mescal, the lead actor, also spoke about the film. "From a selfish side of things, I wanted to surprise an audience, because I knew that I have this kind of role within me. When this came up, I was like, ‘This is something that I don’t think anybody who’s seen the work that I’ve done previously will be expecting," he admitted. He added that "Gladiator 2" will be a very brutal spectacle. "You will feel the exhaustion of our heroes," he commented.

"The Hollywood Reporter" states that the "Gladiator 2" trailer garnered nearly 250 million views on various platforms worldwide within a few days (the best result this year), suggesting that Scott's film is a highly anticipated follow-up to the 24-year-old hit. The "Gladiator 2" premiere will be on November 15, 2024.