Paul Mescal in Gladiator IIFilm bosses have shared even more photos from the set of the long-awaited Gladiator sequel – including its poster.
While the first movie featured Russell Crowe in the lead role (earning him Best Actor at the Oscars in 2001), the follow-up stars Paul Mescal as his grown-up son, Lucius Verus.
New photos from the set show Paul in character as Lucius, and suffice to say, there are plenty of action shots.
Paul Mescal heads into battle as Lucius in Gladiator II
Paul Mescal has recently spoken about the intense training that went into his physical transformation for Gladiator II
Pedro Pascal joins Paul in this new sequel to Ridley Scott's epicThe stills also show the Normal People actor in battle for the first time with co-star Pedro Pascal, while another sees Denzel Washington in character as a powerful and influential merchant of the gladiators.
Meanwhile, more pictures show Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film as Paul’s on-screen mum Lucilla, while The White Lotus star Fred Hechinger joins as a new co-emperor (who was originally tipped to be played by Barry Keoghan).
Check out more photos from the set of Gladiator II below…
Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in Gladiator II
Connie Nielsen is one of the few returning cast members from the original Gladiator
Joseph Quinn – best known for his role in Stranger Things – is another new addition to the Gladiator universe
Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla
The film looks, in a word, epicThe photos were first published last week exclusively in Vanity Fair, with Pedro telling the magazine that his co-star Paul’s “brutal” physical transformation for Gladiator II led to him creating a certain cheeky nickname for him.
Meanwhile, Paul said of his physical training: “I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan. I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior.
“Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling. You carry yourself differently. It has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film.”
Gladiator II – helmed once again by Sir Ridley Scott – is due to hit UK cinemas on Friday 15 November.
The poster for Gladiator II
