Gladiator 2 trailer reveals huge plot twist as identity of Lucius’s father is unearthed

Eagle-eyed fans may have spotted clues in original film

The second Gladiator II trailer comes with a huge reveal about the paternity of Lucius (played by Paul Mescal).

Warning: Spoilers for Gladiator II are below.

The newly released trailer reveals that Mescal’s character is actually the son of Maximus (played by Russell Crowe in the first film), and not Lucius Verus I, as he was made to believe since birth.

In the scene, Lucius’s mother Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen) shares words of wisdom with him as he readies himself for battle, saying: “Take your father’s strength, his name was Maximus, and I see him in you.” In another shot, Mescal looks at a stone wall with “Maximus” carved into it.

In 2000’s Gladiator, the identity of Lucius’s father was never explicitly revealed but the signs were there, since Lucilla and Maximus were former lovers. There was also a clue they may have had a child in a moment that seea a little boy (played by Spencer Treat Clark) look up to the warrior.

The forthcoming film is set years after the death of Maximuswho was killed at the hands of Commodus. In the sequel, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who have taken over Rome. With the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must try and return Rome to its people.

Ridley Scott’s sequel starring Mescal is highly anticipated, since audiences have waited 24 years for a follow-up. Plus, Mescal is joined by a starry cast that includes The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn.

Speaking about the plot twist, Mescal said he was completely shocked when director Scott told him the news before they started shooting: “I was like, ‘Holy s***,’” Mescal told Entertainment Weekly.

Maximus’s name written in stone in the latest ‘Gladiator II’ trailer (Paramount Pictures)

“He mentioned it in the talk, but then it’s an affronting thing to see it written on the page, and [to have] that responsibility fall on your shoulders is interesting,” he said.

“The screenplay does a lot of that work for you in terms of the rubbing the dirt between the hands, the kind of DNA, and the genetics that Lucius inherits,” he said.

But Mescal said he wanted to try and put the narrative to one side as he got into his character.

“So I kind of tried to park that to one side because ultimately, where Lucius is coming from at the start of the film, he has a very different journey than Maximus does. And I was hoping that whatever DNA and even just the physical gestures was going to be one part of, and a kind of small part of, the performance.

Pedro Pescal in ‘Gladiator II’ (Paramount Pictures)

“But then what I tried to do is figure out exactly who Lucius was and where those differences lay between Lucius and Maximus.”

The trailer also offers more clues to the connection between Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius and Lucius and a deeper insight into Denzel Washington’s Gladiator owner character, Macrinus.

In the first trailer for the film, Mescal’s character is asked, “Where were you born?” by Washington’s character Macrinus as he responds, “I don’t know, I never knew a mother nor a father.” Subsequent scenes show the colosseum, flashbacks and the Emperor and his allies scheming. In other scenes, Mescal’s character is seen fighting Pescal's.

It will be released on 15 November.