To celebrate the hugely anticipated – and long-mooted – sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2001 Oscar Winner, we had the pleasure of speaking to its incredible cast about the follow-up and why audiences will be rewarded for their patience with Gladiator II.
RELATED: Our red carpet interviews from the Gladiator II World Premiere
From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
RELATED: Our glowing review of Gladiator II
Chatting first to Paul Mescal, we talk about the lure of Ridley Scott and why he is still one of the best directors in the industry, taking on a sequel and dealing with legacy and fan expectations, his biggest challenges, why audiences should be excited and his surprising choice as his favourite Ridley Scott film to date. Next, we chat to Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the original film, about returning, fan expectations, and why Scott is so unique in Hollywood space; Fred Hechinger talks about the strange inspirations for his turn as venomous Emperor Caracalla, working with Scott’s distinctive storyboards and the art of acting alongside his character’s faithful money. Finally, we chat with titan Denzel Washington about his re-team with Scott and how we will do almost anything for the director, the shorthand the two have to make successful films, his awe of Mescal and his performance and training, and why he his soon to step into the MCU for Ryan Coogler…
You can view all our interviews below:
Gladiator II opens in UK cinemas on November 15th.
