After a Roman attack on North Africa, led by general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), Hanno (Paul Mescal) is captured and brought to Rome where he becomes a gladiator… just like his father.

Much is familiar in this grand sequel as we watch the son of Maximus walk in his footsteps and have a similarly revolutionary impact on the blood-thirsty emperors, a wicked pair of brothers played with gusto by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger. Denzel Washington commands the screen as an ambitious slave trader and almost makes us forget about Mescal.

In lieu of a great script we get blood, baboons and sharks, which goes a long way.

2024-U.S.-U.K. 148 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Ridley Scott. Screenplay: David Scarpa. Music: Harry Gregson-Williams. Cast: Paul Mescal (Hanno/Lucius Verus), Pedro Pascal (Marcus Acacius), Connie Nielsen (Lucilla), Denzel Washington (Macrinus), Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi, Alexander Karim. 

Trivia: Co-produced by Scott. Austin Butler and Miles Teller were considered for the lead role; Barry Keoghan as Emperor Caracalla.