Gladiator II Reveals Pedro Pascal In Full Warrior Mode

Causing just as much buzz as Paul Mescal, The Mandalorian actor, Pedro Pascal’s casting in Gladiator II took many by surprise but with these images, it’s clear that Pascal fits right in. One shot sees Pascal’s General Acacius walking in front of a stone building or castle, appearing to have just made it out of battle by the luck of the gods. Another sees the Roman General coming to blows with Mescal’s Lucius, who has knocked the sword away from his contender in the gladiator pits.

Paul Mescal is absolutely ripped in these first quick glimpses of Gladiator II. In the past, the actor has been spotted in dramas of the not-so-violent variety, which makes his beefed-up appearance in the Ridley Scott-helmed sequel all the more interesting. While his co-stars take front and center in a number of the images, it’s Mescal who enjoys the most time under the spotlight, donning his Roman garb, checking out the armor of gladiators who have come before him, and – above all else – flexing those guns every chance he gets. 

From what we know so far about Paul Mescal’s character, the actor will appear as Lucius Verus, the young boy who was played by Spencer Treat Clark in the original movie and the former heir to the Roman Empire. For the last 15 years, Lucius has been surviving by himself in the wilderness with his mother (Connie Nielsen) unsure if he’s alive or dead. Gladiator II will see the young man come back to his home city and stand in the fighting pits to either thrive or meet a gruesome demise. 

Dripping in gold jewelry, a purple and gold robe, and seated on top of – you guessed it – a golden throne is Denzel Washington’s Macrinus. The description of Washington’s Gladiator II character sounds like he’ll be similar to Oliver Reed’s Proximo who helped train the to-the-death fighters to not only hold their own in the Colosseum but to also become favorites of the crowd. We know that along with his gladiators, Macrinus also keeps up with his lifestyle as an arms dealer.

While the plot will pick up with the semi-familiar character of Lucius, actor-wise, Gladiator II will feature a largely fresh cast of performers. However, Connie Nielsen is set to reprise her role as Lucilla, Lucius’ mother and the sister of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from Gladiator. Lucilla gets a standalone shot in the lineup, wearing a red cape and holding out a gold ring to an unseen recipient.

Finally, we have an up-close look at the two sibling antagonists of Gladiator II – Joseph Quinn’s co-emperor Geta and Fred Hechinger’s co-emperor Caracalla. Feared by their people, the brothers run a tight ship during some of the darkest days of the Roman Empire. With cruel expressions and blonde hair, both of the young men will give Phoenix’s Commodus a run for his money.

Gladiator II arrives in cinemas on November 22 with the first trailer set to arrive early this month.

Source: Vanity Fair