Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Connie Nielsen on why "Gladiator II" lives up to the original

Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Connie Nielsen on why “Gladiator II” lives up to the original

Benjamin Hughes

Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is being hailed as one of the director’s best works in years. The sequel revisits the high-stakes world of ancient Rome with a new generation of characters while keeping the spirit of the Oscar-winning original alive.

Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stars as Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer hungry for power. Paul Mescal plays Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus from the original film, now caught under Macrinus’ control. Connie Nielsen returns to her role as Lucilla, the mother of Lucius and daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

“It’s about bloodline, it’s about legacy. It’s about all of those things,” Mescal said. “Gladiator II is about what’s left behind after Gladiator I. So, you have to acknowledge the spirit of it.”

“Gladiator II” opens in theaters November 22.

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Nate Burleson

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Nate Burleson is a co-host of “CBS Mornings.” He is also an Emmy Award-winning studio analyst for CBS Sports’ NFL pre-game, halftime and post-game show, “The NFL Today,” and is the host of Nickelodeon’s “NFL Slime Time.”

Source: cbsnews.com