Viewers who watched the original Gladiator might remember the uncertainty surrounding the paternity of Lucius Verus (Spencer Treat Clark), as it was explicitly stated that his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), had a past relationship with the film's protagonist, Maximus (Russell Crowe). However, the latest trailer for Gladiator 2 reveals that the older Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) finally discovers the truth: he is Maximus' son and is now walking in his father's path.
Over the years between the first film and its sequel, Lucius distanced himself from Rome and became a warrior in his own right. He also established his own family and lived in peace until General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invaded his lands and forced Lucius back to Rome as a slave. Similar to his father, Lucius must climb the ranks of the gladiatorial arena if he ever hopes to exact his revenge.
Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are the co-Emperors of Rome, and Lucius is not their only adversary. A former slave named Macrinus (Denzel Washington) has his own agenda to overthrow the emperors, with the hesitant assistance of Lucius and his fellow gladiators. Although their goals may partially overlap, Lucius makes it evident that he harbors no affection for Macrinus. The recently released poster for the film suggests that Lucius' ultimate battle might be against Marcus in the arena.
Director Ridley Scott returns to direct the sequel, which was penned by David Scarpa. Gladiator 2 is set to premiere in theaters on November 22.
