The Sin City - Does it not amuse you? So, it seems like you haven't seen Paul Mescal take on a charging rhino, ferocious apes, and a Roman arena.
Paramount debuted the first video from filmmaker Ridley Scott's upcoming sequel "Gladiator II" (in cinemas November 22) at CinemaCon on Thursday, fittingly held in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The massive clip, which promises swords-and-sandals action and drama, did not disappoint.
While Russell Crowe's Maximus (from the 2001 best picture winner "Gladiator") is not forgotten, Lucius considers him a hero. Mescal portrays Lucius, a young slave who becomes a champion. (In fact, a wall is adorned with Maximus' sword as a tribute to him.) Denzel Washington plays an influential character who loves Lucius' energy and has anti-authority tendencies; he also allocates gladiators to fights. "Your anger is a blessing," he informs Lucius.
Returning as Lucila is Connie Nielsen, and making her acting debut is Joseph Quinn ("Stranger Things"). Quinn plays co-emperor Caracalla, a mad tyrant who makes Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, look rational and grounded.
In the preview, we saw Pedro Pascal as a victorious soldier making his way back to civilization after a long war, and Caracalla plans to celebrate his return with a series of brutal gladiator games. However, there is a general sense of discontent, and Pascal's character is sick of sending young men off to war.
There will be a sequel that is "well worth the wait," Scott assured theater owners during a conference via video chat. It could be even more remarkable than the first one. The film's production was hailed by Mescal as "one of the standout moments in my life to date" and by Washington as having "emotion, action, and spectacle unlike anything else onscreen this year." Mescal plays Lucius, who engages in combat with both humans and wild creatures.
Optimus Prime and Megatron, two fan-favorite characters from the Transformers franchise, are brought to life in the animated "Transformers: One" (Sept. 13) by Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, respectively, who were present at CinemaCon to unveil the film's first look. (Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key are also part of the cast.)
Additionally, theatergoers got a first look at "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" (Dec. 20), which introduces the nimble new villain Shadow, and a terrifying first trailer for the horror sequel "Smile 2" (Oct. 18), which stars Naomi Scott ("Aladdin") as a famous pop star possessed by eerily smiling fans and acquaintances.
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