The first look at the highly anticipated sequel to Gladiator is here! Vanity Fair Several new photos of the cast were revealed on Monday evening, and fans are absolutely loving the upcoming epic film Gladiator 2, which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn. (Also Read: Russell Crowe on ‘Gladiator’ sequel: I have a slightly uneasy feeling they’re making another one)
first look of gladiator 2
The sequel follows Maximus’ (Russell Crowe) son Lucius (played by Oscar nominee Paul Mescal), who clashes with Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius in a battle for power. Speaking about his character, Paul told Vanity Fair, “It’s a very ‘angry young man’ drama in that sense. He can see how Rome has fallen in on itself. Rome represents the personal neglect he felt as a child. Suddenly he’s thrust back into that world and in direct proximity to all the things he thought he hated and didn’t feel connected to anymore.”
Denzel Washington as Macrinus
Even though fans have reacted enthusiastically to the first photos from Gladiator 2, it was a look at Denzel Washington in character that caught the most attention. Reportedly, Denzel is playing the role of Macrinus, with director Ridley Scott saying, “Denzel is an arms dealer who supplies food, wine and oil to the armies in Europe, makes steel, spears, machetes, cannons and slingshots. So he’s a very rich man. Instead of a stable of race horses, he has a stable of gladiators.”
Mixed reactions
Reacting to Denzel’s first look, a fan said, “I could be more excited than anyone to see Denzel in this and the cast is great.” Another fan wrote, “This is the best work ever.” Another fan added, “Some of you will watch it for Mescal but a lot of us will watch it for Denzel.”
However, Denzel being cast in the film set in ancient Rome also received a lot of mixed reactions. “Black Roman Imperator? Ahshahahahahaha well done woke historians,” one comment read. Another added, “What is woke casting? Can you leave period films out of all this??” A comment defending Denzel’s casting read, “Hahaha this is not the comment section: first of all, no Denzel is not even playing the emperor here, he’s playing a rich businessman and secondly, there was a black emperor for god’s sake: Septimus Severus. Google is free people.”
The original Gladiator, released in 2000, was a huge critical and commercial success, winning Best Picture and a Best Actor Oscar for Russell Crowe. Gladiator 2 will be released in theaters on November 22.
