Official Gladiator II poster unveiled featuring Paul Mescal

The highly anticipated follow up to Ridley Scott's 2000 epic Gladiator, Gladiator II has just delivered its first official poster for impatient fans to enjoy.

The poster reveal comes shortly before the first official trailer is set to be released tomorrow.

Featuring Irish actor Paul Mescal as the focal point of the poster; the Gladiator II poster sees the Maynooth man on one knee and ready for combat.

Mescal will play the lead in the upcoming sequel to Ridley Scott's original film, with the actor playing Lucius, the nephew of since-deceased Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who was killed by Russell Crowe’s Maximus. Gladiator 2 is set 20 years after the events of the first film, with the estimated era for the sequel being 200 A.D.

Lucius must fight for survival under the rule of tyrannical general Acacius (Pedro Pascal).

Sharing the official poster on social media, Pedro Pascal uploaded an accompanying picture of Paul Mescal saying: "Come and get it"

 

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A post shared by Pedro Pascal he/him (@pascalispunk)

The original Gladiator won five Academy Awards in a variety of categories, including for Best Picture, and Russell Crowe for Best Actor.

Mescal, who is already an Oscar nominated actor, said that in preparing for the role, he was focused on making him look "big and strong" rather than "an underwear model" in a Variety Interview.