After months of anticipation and hype, fans finally have their first official look at Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s upcomingGladiator 2. The long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winningGladiatorwas first announced in 2018, and has bounced in and out of production limbo since. Mescal (best known forNormal PeopleandAll of Us Strangers) signed on to lead the project in 2023. Fans have desperately awaited a sequel since the release ofGladiatorback in 2000, and the first reveal of Mescal in uniform has them very excited.
The photos were taken during reshoots in Sussex, England (viaThe Daily Mail). Mescal plays Lucius in the movie, and appears bloody and bruised in the photo, sporting form-fitting armor. This is the first proper look fans have gotten of Mescal in the movie.
What’s most revealing about the image is the armor, which looks remarkably similar to the breastplate worn by Russell Crowe in the original movie. InGladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) was gifted the armor by Proximo (Oliver Reed) at the start of his gladiatorial days. The armor was then engraved and embellished over time, with images representing his fallen wife and son, as well as their two horses. While the identity of Lucius' father is somewhat confirmed in the first movie, some fans believe that Lucius will discover he is Maximus' son, and was gifted the armor following his father’s death.
Who Is Lucius in Gladiator 2?
Majorplot details aboutGladiator 2are being kept a tightly guarded secret by everyone involved. The very fact that the movie managed to complete its principal photography without any major set photos leaking is a feat in itself. However, Scott has teased some key details about Mescal’s character in the new film. Speaking before the release ofNapoleon, Scott said:
“He’s playing Lucius. He’s been in the wilderness for, about 12 or 15 years. Having lost that touch with his mother. [His] mother lost touch with him, she doesn’t know where he is. She thinks he might be dead.”
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 Sidesteps Rome for Unexpected Reasons
Ridley Scott ‘was disappointed’ at not shooting Gladiator 2 in Rome.
That is all Ridley Scott has revealed about the character, so far. Joining Mescal for the new film is Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, a vicious ruler who enjoys violence, and Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, the brother of Geta. Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal have also joined the project, although their roles have not yet been revealed.
Most importantly, considering Lucius' parentage,Connie Nielson will be returning forGladiator 2to reprise the role of Lucilla, Lucius' mother. Alongside her, Derek Jacobi is also returning as Gracchus, a loyal adviser to Lucilla. Although it was rumored that Djimon Honsou would reprise his role as Juba, a fellow gladiator who fought alongside Maximus, the actor confirmed in December 2023 that he would not be appearing in the film.
Gladiator 2is currently scheduled to hit theaters on August 17, 2025.
