Everyone say thank you Paul Mescal.
While we eagerly await Gladitaor II’s November 15th release date (alongside having the trailer on repeat), its press tour has kicked off, with truly excellent results.
The anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning 2000 epic starring Russell Crowe places stars Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal centre stage.
The second film is set more than two decades after the events of the first, and will follow a grown-up Lucius’ (Paul Mescal) own quest for vengeance, having been inspired by seeing Maximus in the gladiator arena as a child – with Pedro portraying his rival, the Roman General Marcus Acacius.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly (complete with an iconic photoshoot), Paul and Pedro share their experiences of making the blockbuster – with Paul divulging an improvised scene that didn’t make the final cut.
Discussing the film’s fight scenes, Pedro said that “the distinguishing and incomparable aspect” of making the film would be “getting my ass kicked by Paul Mescal. Elder abuse, we call it.”
However, despite the ass-kicking from Paul, it would appear that there was a tender moment in amongst it all.
“There was a moment when we were rehearsing my fight scene with Pedro, and I had an idea towards the end of the scene to kiss Pedro on the forehead,” Paul told Entertainment Weekly.
“I did it in one of the takes, and then we’re getting the radio messages back to Ridley in video village, and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?’
“There was radio silence for a second. His radio crackles back, and [Ridley] goes, ‘I’m afraid I did.’”
Sadly for us however, the shot didn’t make the final cut, with Paul saying: “I think Ridley’s one of the funniest men I’ve ever come across.”
We personally find them cutting the scene not very funny at all actually.
Gladiator II hits cinemas on Friday 15 November, with director Ridley Scott confirming he’s already put plans in place for a third film.