Smiling on the Past Decade’s Successes

Ridley Scott has made some of the greatest films of all time. Alien. Blade Runner. Gladiator. Thelma & Louise, just to name a few. And he’s been on one hell of a streak recently, refusing to slow down after decades in the business, wrangling major movies like The Last Duel, House Of Gucci, and Napoleon in the last few years alone. But now – finally – nearly 25 years since he last conjured the Colosseum and the decadent delights of Ancient Rome, he’s about to unleash the film that fans have waited decades for. Yes, it’s time to step back into the arena for Gladiator II – and according to the filmmaker himself, he hasn’t messed it up.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever made,” Scott tells Empire in the world-exclusive Gladiator II issue. Though, he concedes, he has made several other great movies. “One of the best things. I’ve made a few good ’uns,” he grins. This time, he’s shifting the action 20-plus years beyond the events of the 2000 original, picking up with Paul Mescal’s Lucius (glimpsed as a kid last time around – not played by Mescal, obviously – watching Maximus in the arena) as he enters the world of gladiatorial combat. That means blood, brawls, and beastly encounters, all set against a sweeping story of vengeance – where he’ll face off against Pedro Pascal’s Roman General, Marcus Acacius. Make no mistake: in the intervening years, Scott hasn’t mellowed. “It’s full-bore, brutal action,” he promises.

For Mescal – who broke out in Normal People, and broke hearts in Aftersun – it offered a chance to step into burlier, more blockbuster-y territory. “I had always had a kind of latent ambition to do something that was more muscular and physical,” he explains. “From a selfish side of things, I wanted to surprise an audience, because I knew that I have this kind of role within me. When this came up, I was like, ‘This is something that I don’t think anybody who’s seen the work that I’ve done previously will be expecting,’ and it’s Ridley Scott.” He threw himself head-first into the rough-and-tumble of Colosseum combat. “We made an attempt to not feel slick,” he says, promising visceral, breathless sequences. “You’re feeling like their bodies are slowing down as they’re fighting. It’s not like ting-ting-ting! It’s more brutal. You’re feeling the fatigue.” Time to armour up – Rome awaits.

Read Empire’s full world-exclusive Gladiator II cover feature – speaking to Ridley Scott, writer David Scarpa, and stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, and Joseph Quinn – in the October 2024 issue, on sale Thursday 29 August. Pre-order a copy online here. Gladiator II comes to UK cinemas from 15 November.