Paul Mescal Battles Pedro Pascal & a Rhino in First ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer

The first trailer for one of the most anticipated movies for the fall has arrived. The trailer for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning sequel, gives us our first proper look at Paul Mescal in Russell Crowe’s shoes. Gladiator II opens in theaters in November.

Mescal plays Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and the late Lucius Verus. He remembers watching Crowe’s Maximus’ doomed heroics in the first film. The enslaved Lucius vows to defeat the new pretentious emperors Caracalla (Joseph Quinn) and Geta (Fred Hechinger), inspired by his bravery.

Paul Mescal Battles Pedro Pascal & a Rhino in First ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer: Denzel Washington’s slave owner and power broker Macrinus, who Scott has described as Joe Bonsall, The Oak Ridge Boys country music mainstay, dead at 76  “pretty fucking cruel” to the arena fighters, and Pedro Pascal’s Roman general Marcus Acacius stand in his way—or, perhaps, give him a slight advantage.

Pascal has portrayed his personality as “an incredibly, great general, which can mean an excellent executioner”; His push to invade north Africa puts him squarely in the crosshairs of Lucius, who Macrinus describes as being so enraged that “rage is your gift.” He was trained under Maximus.

Mescal put on a lot of weight for the role, and Pascal gave him the nickname “Brick Wall Paul.” Pascal praised his co-star for “getting so strong.” I would prefer to be tossed from a structure than need to battle him once more.”

The trailer also includes brief glimpses of Derek Jacobi and Tim McInnerny, as well as a lot of swords, arrows, ships, crowds, water, shouting, and a huge rhinoceros that Lucius must defeat.

Additionally, the stirring soundtrack, composed once more by Hans Zimmer, and a clip of a remix of Kanye West and Jay Z’s No Church in the Wild with the pertinent lyrics: Tears on the floor of the mausoleum; blood on the doors of the Colosseum.

Paul Mescal Battles Pedro Pascal & a Rhino in First ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer: The actors’ strike in the United States halted filming in June, Gladiator II: Paul Mescal battles a rhino in upcoming film but it resumed in December and concluded in January, with the exception of a few brief reshoots in Sussex last month.

The film is in UK films on 15 November and out in the US seven days after the fact, where it shares a delivery date with the film of the melodic Underhanded, which has pushed ahead seven days to stay away from rivalry with Moana 2.

Even though a decision on the portmanteau name—Wickiator or Gladicked—seems to be pending, many have predicted another Barbenheimer marketing campaign as a result of the potential double bill.