Meet the Characters of ‘Gladiator II,’ in Cinemas December 4

Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington have gotten early Oscar buzz for their performances in Gladiator II. Photo credit: Paramount Pictures Gladiator II screenwriter David Scarpa says he found plenty of creative opportunities in picking up the story for the sequel so many years after the original – in which most of the lead characters have passed. “We started by placing our main character, Lucius [Paul Mescal], in a situation that is diametrically opposed to Maximus’ [Russell Crowe] story,” says Scarpa. “Maximus started as a leader in the Roman military who is facing off with an army of barbarians. Lucius is a barbarian defending his home from the invading Romans. Maximus was loyal to the emperor. Lucius hates Rome and everything to do with it. And yet both end up forced to kill or be killed for the amusement of the mob.” Paul Mescal is Lucius in Gladiator II. Photo credit: Paramount Pictures In the beginning of the film, Lucius is in Numidia, where he has spent most of his life, when the Roman army invades his home. “He is taken prisoner and dragged into Rome. He has an intense anger towards everything Roman that will grow as the film progresses,” Mescal says about [...]