With everything from sharks in the Colosseum to rhino fights appearing in the first trailer for Gladiator 2, the sequel has already set itself up as an epic follow-up. Now, one of its stars tells GamesRadar+ that we haven’t seen anything yet with the "wild" Ridley Scott movie.
The White Lotus actor Fred Hechinger, who plays co-emperor Caracalla opposite Joseph Quinn’s Geta in the sequel, is in the trailer sporting a unique look. With bright red hair and pale make-up, he looks a far cry from Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, as the actor opens up about some unusual inspiration.
"It’s so wild," he grins when we ask about his reaction to Caracalla’s look. "It is amazing, we spent time building that and when Ridley and I first talked, we talked a lot about Sid Vicious. We talked a lot of influences that you might not expect in a world like that, but I found to be very inspiring, and liberating, and wild."
The sequel stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, Commodus’ nephew, after he’s been living apart from his family for many years. He’s in Numidia with his wife and child when Roman soldiers, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), invade and force Lucius into slavery. With the help of Denzel Washington’s Macrinus he decides instead to plot his revenge on Acacius while fighting as a gladiator.
Ahead of Gladiator 2’s November release though, Hechinger has a very different role on the cards in Thelma, a comedy-drama about a 94-year-old who gets scammed. Deciding to take matters into her own hands and get her money back, Thelma (June Squibb) steals a mobility scooter and zooms onto the streets of Los Angeles. Hechinger plays her grandson, Danny, and he tells us that the film is all about connection.
"The movie connects people in the way that it holds their specificity and individuality but also builds a connection between them," he explains. "I thought [it] was so wise and emotionally complex and so I felt very inspired by that. It's kind of part of the struggle of the movie: ‘How do you care for someone and connect with them and love them and also see and allow for their independence?’ I think it’s a real struggle for everyone, no matter what age you are."
Thelma is in UK cinemas now and Gladiator 2 is out November 15 in the UK and November 22 in the US. For more upcoming movies, check out our guide to 2024 release dates.
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