First Photos: Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator 2”

By
Garth Franklin
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Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures has premiered the first photos from Ridley Scott’s mega-budget epic sequel to 2000’s “Gladiator” as part of a feature piece over at Vanity Fair. They come ahead of the film’s trailer release next Tuesday (July 9th).

The shots include actors Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal who appear to come to blows in the film in the arena. Mescal stars as a grown-up version of the child Lucius, son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen who can also be seen here), from the first film.

Pascal plays a general who has drown conflicted with whom he serves. There’s also the first shot of Denzel Washington grudge-holding former gladiator who pulls the strings behind-the-scenes for his own purposes.

Also in the shots are a blond Joseph Quinn who plays the Emperor Geta, and Fred Hechinger as his brother and co-Emperor Caracalla. The pair jointly ruled Rome in early 3rd century AD until Caracalla ordered Geta’s murder.

Also starring are Djimon Hounsou, Matt Lucas, Lior Raz, Peter Mensah, May Calamawy, Tim McInnerny and Derek Jacobi. Budgeted at around $300 million and penned by David Scarpa, the film will reportedly boast some of the largest action sequences ever put on film.

“Gladiator 2” is set to open in cinemas internationally from November 15th and in U.S. cinemas on November 22nd.