Paramount Pictures unveiled the first images of the highly anticipated film Gladiator 2, featuring international stars Russell Crowe, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington. The film will be directed by Ridley Scott, with a scheduled cinema release on November 22. The movie is set to star Pascal as Lucius, the nephew of Commodus, who was saved by Maximus (played by Crowe) in the original film. Other cast members confirmed for the sequel include Washington, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger. Irish actor Paul Mescal will play the lead role of Lucius. Mescal confirmed that he finished filming the second part of the movie and joked that he "survived" while hinting at the intense secrecy surrounding the production. Ridley Scott previously explained that he chose Mescal for the lead role after seeing his work in a TV series. The movie's script was "working well," and he kept thinking about casting Mescal even before the film was announced.