Gladiator 2 trailer breakdown: 5 things we learned

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel has finally released its trailer ahead of its release on November 15, 2024. The movie, set to be a direct sequel, will revolve around the character of Lucius, who will be portrayed by Paul Mescal. Lucius is the nephew of Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix in the original Gladiator.

Based on historical events from the Roman Empire, the trailer, released on July 9, 2024, promises the return of multiple characters seen in Gladiator. Russell Crowe, who portrayed Maximus, saved Lucius in the first movie, who grew up to become the Emperor from AD 161 to his death in AD 169.

Set to feature the same kind of action sequences, drama, and a range of characters that audiences are already familiar with, Gladiator 2 features the following official synopsis:

“After his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.”

Here, we look at the five most prominent takeaways from the recently released trailer.

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Gladiator 2 trailer: 5 takeaways

1) Familiar faces set to intertwine with new characters

The trailer sees the introduction of several new characters and features a range of familiar faces that shot to fame via the 2000-released cult classic.

The trailer opened with flashbacks of Russell Crowe’s Maximus, with Paul Mescal’s Lucius only one of the new characters seen in it. The likes of Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi return as Lucilla and Senator Gracchus, respectively, while Denzel Washington, who plays the role of Macrinus, is also featured in the trailer.

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2) Epic battle sequences

Perhaps the USP of the original, Gladiator 2 also looks set to feature a range of intense battle sequences. The trailer itself showcased some ambitious scenes, as the Colosseum was seen filled with water, giving the gladiators a chance to fight sharks in front of the commons.

Lucius was also seen battling a rhinoceros in the trailer, which likely includes only some of the action scenes that fans can expect from the movie.

Gladiator 2 looks set to take things up a notch from its predecessor and will feature a range of visually stunning battle scenes that made the Russell Crowe-starrer a huge success. The trailer features a range of picturesque scenes from the prehistoric empire as well, set against the backdrop of some intense battles.

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3) A complex rivalry

Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius (Image via Getty)

The trailer also revealed quite a few details about the movie's plot. It will most notably revolve around the rivalry between Lucius (Paul Mescal) and Marcus Acacius, portrayed by Pedro Pascal.

Lucius, who spends the majority of his early years in exile in Numidia, returns to Rome to fight for his rightful claim to the throne. The two characters were seen involved in a brutal fight sequence in the trailer, which can be expected to be a major theme in the movie as well.

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4) There will be plenty of politics

Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in the movie (Image via Getty)

The trailer also promised plenty of political ploys and planning that also featured prominently in Gladiator. Denzel Washington’s character, Macrinus, is seen taking Lucius under his wing, recognizing the potential that he holds.

Washington was seen uttering the following dialogue:

"You have something in you. Rage. Rage is your gift."

Further, the emergence of characters such as Geta and Caracalla, played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, respectively, is also set to play a major part in the story presented by Gladiator 2.

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5) The music score

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the trailer is the music score that it featured. The trailer was set to the tunes of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s No Church in the Wild, which might be uncharacteristic but certainly added to its experience.

The modern score, especially coming at a time when West is undoubtedly one of the most controversial figures in the music industry, adds a modern, fresh approach to the storytelling. The movie can be expected to feature the song heavily and might hint at the use of other modern scores in the narrative.

These in itself are the five most obvious takeaways from the trailer. The 3-minute, 10-second watch has done nothing but increase the hype for the upcoming project, which is set to hit theaters on November 15, 2024.