"It is an art, choosing gladiators. They're usually prisoners of war," says Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus, as the trailer opens. The sequel follows Lucius, portrayed by Paul Mescal, the former heir to the Empire, who is taken prisoner and becomes a fighter.

Ridley Scott is looking to continue the Gladiator franchise with a third film, and he’s already “lit the fuse” on the next chapter of his historical epic. Gladiator II has yet to be released but in an interview with French film magazine Première ,