Gladiator 2’s official title announced as first poster is spotted in Las Vegas

Sequel's tagline riffs on famous quote from Ridley Scott’s 2000 original

Excitement for Gladiator 2 is in overdrive with the first glimpse of a logo and poster, which confirms the title of the film seven months before it’s released.

Director Ridley Scott, fresh from releasing Napoleon, has returned for the follow-up to his Oscar-winning epic, which will focus on Paul Mescal‘s Lucius, the son of Lucilla, who was played by Connie Nielsen in the original.

Mescal, who received an Oscar nomination in 2022 for Aftersun, previously said he will be “profoundly depressed” if the new film makes him even more famous than he already is – but the Irish actor will need to start preparing as the first promotional materials for the forthcoming sequel have landed.

Later this week, Paramount Pictures will be presenting a look at its theatrical slate at CinemaCon – an annual event attended by cinema exhibitors where trailers for high-profile films are debuted.

Those in attendance at the event, including CinePOP, quickly spotted the poster for the new Gladiator film, which stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Lucilla, who was played by Connie Nielsen in the 2000 original.

Nielsen has also returned for the sequel, which also stars Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Stranger Things breakout Joseph Quinn. Derek Jacobi will also reprise his role of Senator Gracchus.

Since the project was announced, the film has been unofficially referred to as Gladiator 2, but it was believed there might be a title change before the marketing campaign started. However, the poster has confirmed the title is simply Gladiator II.

The official tagline for the film is a quote spoken by Maximus Decimus Meridius in the original film: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

‘Gladiator II’ poster spotted at CinemaCon in Las Vegas (Deadline)

Gladiator, released in 2000, followed Crowe’s Roman general, who ended up in slavery after the murder of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). The film received 12 Oscar nominations, and eventually took home five awards, including Best Picture.

Crowe, who won an Academy Award for the film, has debunked the claim he will appear in a flashback scene in the film, and admitted to feeling “jealous” about Mescal’s experience, stating: “I was a much younger man, obviously, and it was a huge experience in my life. It’s something that changed my life, really. It changed the way people regarded me and what I do for a living.”

Gladiator II will be released on 22 November.