Yahoo News So, how is the new Gladiator movie connected to the original?
After literal months of anticipation, we finally have our first proper look at Gladiator II starring Paul Mescal, after the trailer was released earlier this week. And now the countdown begins to see Paul as Lucius battle it out in the Colosseum as the Roman Empire collapses around him.
But before we start rewatching the trailer for another look at Paul in his gladiator get up, here's what you need to know about Ridley Scott's Gladiator II and how it's connected to the original movie.
What is Gladiator II about?
Gladiator II sees the return of Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, who was sent to the northern coast of Africa in a region called Numidia by his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) when he was a child.
The movie is set nearly two decades after the events of the first movie in which Maximus (Russell Crowe) puts an end to the rule of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).
Now, Lucius has a wife and a son, but war comes for him, when the Romans begin invading his new found home. And back in Rome, the empire is ruled by evil Emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), and Lucius finds himself following a path not too dissimilar from his childhood hero Maximus.
After his home is destroyed, he is sold as a slave to Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and turned into a gladiator who soon becomes part of a much larger plan to overthrow the tyranny of the current emperors.
So how is Gladiator II connected to the original movie?
Well the key connection between the first and second movie is that we see the story of Lucius, who was just a child in the first movie, continue on. In the original movie Lucius is played by Spencer Treat Clark, however, for the new movie, he's being played by Paul Mescal.
The other big connection to the original movie are the other key characters returning to the movie, including Connie Nielsen as Lucius' mother Lucilla. Lucilla previously tried to protect her son from her brother Commodus' corruption. Similarly to her emotional reunion with Maximus in the first movie, we can likely expect a very emotional reunion when she sees her son in the gladiator pit fighting for his life.
But she'll also be in a very complicated position, as, in the second movie she's now in love with Roman general, Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who trained under Maximus, but led the soldiers into battle in Lucius' home in Africa.
And also returning is Sir Derek Jacobi as the character of Senator Gracchus, who in the first movie Maximus named before his death as the person who should lead Rome. However, given we know Rome is now ruled by two twisted emperors, we're guessing life hasn't treated Gracchus that well.
Gladiator II is in cinemas 15th November in the UK and 22nd November in the US.
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