Get ready to lace up those sandals, grab a sword and ride your chariot into the arena—the long-awaited Gladiator 2 trailer is finally here.
Director Ridley Scott’s sequel to his 2000 epic starring Russell Crowe takes place more than 20 years after the iconic original movie. The trailer introduces a grown-up Lucius, the nephew of the late Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and the son of Lucilla (again played by Connie Nielsen).
Since the first film, Lucius was sent by his mother to live on the northern coast of Africa to shield him from the “corruption and violence” of Rome. But he finds himself back in the ancient Italian arena when forces led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invade his home in Numidia and take him captive.
The trailer also introduces Denzel Washington’s Macrinus, a rich arms dealer who uses gladiators for sport, as well as the villainous twin emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn).
The new teaser reveals lots of big-budget action, including a masked gladiator riding a rhino into the arena, a nautical battle featuring flaming catapults, plenty of sword fights, and at least one death by crossbow, all scored to Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church In The Wild.”
Scott returns as director, along with several other filmmakers who helped make the original Gladiator, including cinematographer John Mathieson, production designer Arthur Max, and costume designer Janty Yates.
Gladiator 2 hits theaters on November 22. Watch the wild first trailer above.
