WATCH: First trailer for Paul Mescal's Gladiator II is here
Mescal steps into Russell Crowe’s sandals as the enslaved Lucius, in this first glimpse of the emperors and massive bloodstained rhinoceros he must defeat.
The first trailer for one of the autumn’s most hotly anticipated films has arrived.
Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s sequel to his 2000 Oscar-conquering epic, is due in cinemas in November, but the promotional reel offers the first look proper at Paul Mescal, who has taken on the role form Russell Crowe.
The trailer is mostly made up of footage debuted in April at CinemaCon including Paul Mescal's Lucius fighting a rhino, a spectacular sea battle in the Colosseum (it actually happened) and Mescal crossing swords with Pedro Pascal's General Acacius.
(Paramount Pictures)
Mescal is playing the son of Connie Nielsen's Lucilla from the first movie, who we see in the trailer handing her son Maximus's ring.
At another point in the trailer, Lucius confirms he was there on that fateful battle between Maximus and Commodus.
The movie begins in Numidia, with viewers seeing Lucius enjoying a relatively easy life with his wife and child.
But he's forced to take action following the Romans' ruthless and continued descent into North Africa, going up against General Acacius (Pascal) in the process.
Gladiator 2 is coming on November 15 in the UK & Ireland.
