The Gladiator II trailer has arrived and it looks incredible

Be in no doubt: Gladiator II, the sequel to Russell Crowe's sword and sandals epic from 2000, is going hard. The movie, which is set some years after the first film, focuses on Lucius (Paul Mescal ), the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen).

In the trailer we get a glimpse of what is to come - and ShortList was lucky enough to see the thing on the biggest screen in the UK, the BFI IMAX in London, a screen befitting of the size of the action on show.

The official synopsis is as follows: "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."

Rage is the key word here. In the trailer we see just how angry Lucius is, pointing his rage at the evil Emperors and guiding his fellow gladiators through some pretty nasty bouts of combat - one involving a waterlogged colosseum, the other a face-off with a blood-flecked rhino.

Ridley Scott is at the helm once more and the look and feel of the first movie is present here, but everything feels that bit more amped up.

And if you are worried that Mescal hasn't quite got the screen presence of Crowe, then don't: he's bulked up and ready to go ballistic.

As for the rest of the cast: Pedro Pascal looks regal, both Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger deranged, while Denzel Washington is set to be the ultimate scene stealer as Macrinus, the one who recruits the gladiators to do battle.

Gladiator II is out 15 November in cinemas and if the trailer is anything to go by, you should be booking tickets ASAP.

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