Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal recount their “brutal” clash in Gladiator 2

“He's a violent guy. I call him Paul the Wall. (…) I would rather be thrown off a building than have to fight him again,” Pedro Pascal told Vanity Fair.

Did you feel it? The Earth shook earlier this week when the first images of Gladiator 2, or rather “II” in Roman numerals, were unveiled – twenty-four years after the release of the triumphant peplum of Ridley Scott. Fans had been eagerly awaiting them for months, feeding off tantalizing statements and testimonials written by the lucky few who were able to see a preview of the feature film at various CinemaCons.

Now, the whole world has been able to dream (and drool) over the thirteen exclusive photos shared by Vanity Fairadmiring the beauty of the images (and not only) which illustrate the return of Connie Nielsen and the entry into the arena of Denzel Washington, Fred Hechinger (Fear Street, The White Lotus), Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal And Paul Mescal.

Paul Mescal Faces Pedro Pascal in First Gladiator 2 Footage

The latter plays Lucius, son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). The now grown-up child lives in peace in Numidia, in North Africa, far from Rome and his mother. But his pax is short-lived… Captured during the military campaign of General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who cut his teeth with Maximus Decimus, the hero of Gladiator, Lucius is sent to Rome to serve as human entertainment in the Colosseum: a gladiator.

For Vanity FairRidley Scott explained why he chose Paul Mescal for this ambitious project, and gave some additional information on the plot and filming secrets. No mention of shark or baboon fights in the arena as suggested by the first images shown at CinemaCon, but instead the confrontation between two beasts of another caliber: Paul Mescal VS Pedro Pascal.

First Gladiator 2 Images Hit Hard at CinemaCon

Perfect in Acacius according to Connie Nielsen, the actor of The Last of Us And The Mandolorian said about his character: “He is an excellent general, and therefore an excellent killer.” But apparently, this is not enough to fight serenely against Lucius. He who had nevertheless faced bigger than him in Game Of Thrones when he lent his features to Oberyn Martell. Facing the young gladiator, the fight sounds brutal, and Pedro Pascal admits:

“He's a violent guy. I call him Paul the Wall. He's gotten so big. I'd rather be thrown off a building than have to fight him again. It's crazy to face someone so athletic, talented, and much younger than me. Beyond the genius of Ridley Scott, playing with Paul is one of the reasons I put my poor body through all this.”

It must be said that the two actors are twenty years apart and that, to put on his armor, Paul Mescal admitted to having gained muscle:

“I wanted to be as powerful as possible, to give the impression of being someone who can do a lot of harm when you want to. If you focus too much on the physical aspect, the risk is that in the end, you look more like an underwear model than a warrior.”

Let's hope for Pedro Pascal that the outcome of this fight is less tragic than his duel against The Mountain in the HBO series… Watch out.

Nota Benethe first trailer of Gladiator II should be visible on July 9 and its official release is scheduled in France on November 13, 2024.

Why Ridley Scott chose Paul Mescal for Gladiator 2: “He's my find, he's absolutely perfect”