Over two decades after the success of Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator', fans on Thursday, got a glimpse of the gory first-look footage from its highly anticipated sequel, 'Gladiator 2' at Caesars Palace Casino in Las Vegas.
In an extended trailer, the sequel's star Paul Mescal does battle in a Colosseum filled with rhinos, bloodthirsty baboons and even floating Roman warships, egged on by Denzel Washington's shadowy advisor.
"It is possibly more extraordinary than the first," said director Ridley Scott, via video.
The footage was met with an enthusiastic thumbs-up at CinemaCon, an annual gathering at which Hollywood studios showcase their upcoming titles for movie theatre owners and managers from around the world.
All eyes were on Scott's sequel to his Oscar Best Picture-winning 2000 historical epic 'Gladiator'.
As the previous film's main characters, played by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, were killed off, a new crop of actors step in. Mescal portrays gladiator Lucius, the nephew of Phoenix's villainous emperor, who was seen briefly as a child in the original film.
Similar to Crowe's character Maximus, Paul's character is depicted as a gladiator in the upcoming film, new reports have confirmed. The trailer showcases him going up against "murderous monkeys" and a soldier mounted on a rhinoceros, within the confines of the Colosseum, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Furthermore, the trailer provides glimpses into the roles portrayed by Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal. Washington plays a mysterious character, plotting to topple the Roman Empire by urging Paul to incite a revolution. "Rome must fall. I need only to give it a push," he says, in onc scene.
Meanwhile, Pascal plays a military general, advocating for an end to the brutal violence. However, the narrative takes a dramatic turn when Pascal's character finds himself stripped off his ranks to fight for his life as a gladiator.
"Gladiator 2" hits theatres in November.
