These Are All The Photos You Need To See From The Long-Awaited Gladiator Sequel
![Paul Mescal in Gladiator II](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bea782600001e007ce242.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
Film bosses have shared even more photos from the set of the long-awaited Gladiator sequel – including its poster.
While the first movie featured Russell Crowe in the lead role (earning him Best Actor at the Oscars in 2001), the follow-up stars Paul Mescal as his grown-up son, Lucius Verus.
New photos from the set show Paul in character as Lucius, and suffice to say, there are plenty of action shots.
![Paul Mescal heads into battle as Lucius in Gladiator II](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bec902200001c00bd0333.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![Paul Mescal has recently spoken about the intense training that went into his physical transformation for Gladiator II](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668becaa2600001b007ce244.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![Pedro Pascal joins Paul in this new sequel to Ridley Scott's epic](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bedb42600001e007ce246.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
The stills also show the Normal People actor in battle for the first time with co-star Pedro Pascal, while another sees Denzel Washington in character as a powerful and influential merchant of the gladiators.
Meanwhile, more pictures show Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film as Paul’s on-screen mum Lucilla, while The White Lotus star Fred Hechinger joins as a new co-emperor (who was originally tipped to be played by Barry Keoghan).
Check out more photos from the set of Gladiator II below…
![Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in Gladiator II](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bedca26000020007ce248.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![Connie Nielsen is one of the few returning cast members from the original Gladiator](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bede82500001e00a8ecc4.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![Joseph Quinn – best known for his role in Stranger Things – is another new addition to the Gladiator universe](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bee0a2600001b007ce24a.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bee282600001a007ce24c.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
![The film looks, in a word, epic](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bee512500001c00a8ecc6.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)
The photos were first published last week exclusively in Vanity Fair, with Pedro telling the magazine that his co-star Paul’s “brutal” physical transformation for Gladiator II led to him creating a certain cheeky nickname for him.
Meanwhile, Paul said of his physical training: “I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan. I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior.
“Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling. You carry yourself differently. It has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film.”
Gladiator II – helmed once again by Sir Ridley Scott – is due to hit UK cinemas on Friday 15 November.
![The poster for Gladiator II](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/668bee832200001900bd0338.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale)