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One of the darlings of our upcoming awards season is almost here, and we’re not talking about Wicked. After a year of waiting and an exciting press tour, Gladiator II hits theaters this month, straight from the video village of Ridley Scott who directed the original film. The sequel features Paul Mescal like… hold that thought. Let’s go back. We exist in the context of everything in which we live.

What should I know?

Respect the form of the sequel and look at the original, that’s what Paul would want. Released in 2000, Gladiator is a revenge story set in the era of the Roman Empire. Also directed by Ridley Scott, this epic follows Russell Crowe’s Maximus, a once-powerful Roman general who goes from commanding armies to fighting for his life in the brutal pits of gladiators. He makes an enemy of Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus; rightfully so, this asshole had his family killed. Maximus rises and vows to overthrow the emperor and restore the honor of Rome.

Big spoilers ahead, so skip to the end if you’re already sold. Gladiator II takes place 16 years after the events of the first film, starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe’s fallen Maximus. The film picks up Lucius living as a farmer with a wife and a false name, but when the Roman army invades his town, he is taken prisoner and transformed into a gladiator. Just like its predecessor, Gladiator II will be a story of revenge, like father, like son. This isn’t some vague homage to a 25-year-old film. It is a sequel in its own right, making its original viewing required.

Where can I watch the original Gladiator?

This 25-year-old film is available for streaming on Paramount+, and with Gladiator II premiering on November 22, you’re running out of time to catch up. Get streaming and prepare your Oscar materials. During its year, the original was the second highest-grossing film at the box office and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor. If Paul Mescal receives his due, we will have a real legacy.

This year he would probably face Adrien Brody for The BrutalistRalph Fiennes for ConclaveColman Domingo for Sing Sing, Timothée Chalamet for A complete strangerand Daniel Craig for Weird. As for best film, Gladiator II will end against Wicked (naturally), Conclave, Anora, A real pain, Emilie PérezAnd Dune: second part, among others.

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