Paul Mescal & Pedro Pascal Go Behind The Scenes Of Crucial Gladiator II Battle [EXCLUSIVE]

Though Gladiator II takes place only a few short decades after the original, Connie Nielsen is the only actor to reprise a major role from the original. She plays Lucius's mother Lucilla, whose romance with Maximus was a major plot point in Gladiator, though she is now married to Pascal's Marcus Acacius. Incidentally, Acacius is the man responsible for the ravaging of Lucius' adoptive homeland and for the death of his wife in battle, which makes their relationship in the movie rather contentious.

Paul Mescal & Pedro Pascal Break Down The Turning Point In Their Gladiator II Dynamic

"I'd like to emphasize the age difference here."

ScreenRant's exclusive clip centers on the climactic showdown between Lucius and Acacius when they're finally made to face off in the arena. The build-up to this moment is crucial, as Lucius spends the majority of the movie up to that point plotting his revenge against Acacius due to the events of Battle of Numidia, in which Acacius' army of Roman soldiers defeated the Numinidians, Lucius' wife was killed, and Lucius himself was taken prisoner.

In the exclusive clip, Mescal and Pascal explain why they personally find the moment so fascinating. They also discuss the epic scale of the scene, and Pascal jokes that the age difference between them is the reason why his character doesn't necessarily get the better of the movie's hero. This BTS moment is available on the Digital release, which arrives on December 24, as well as on the 4K Ultra HD and other physical versions that will be on sale in 2025.

Check out the bonus content available on the home release here:

More About Gladiator II (2024)

Coming soon to home release in more ways than one.

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. Gladiator II is rated R for strong bloody violence.