Ridley Scott returns to direct Gladiator II nearly 25 years after original film

Ridley Scott returns to direct "Gladiator II," nearly 25 years after the original film won five Academy Awards. The sequel features a new hero, played by Paul Mescal, set in the same brutal Roman Empire. Scott has been thinking about the sequel for years, even while directing 17 other films. He began storyboarding before the script was finished, aiming for an efficient production process. The film includes ambitious scenes, such as a battle with three full-scale Roman ships. Scott combines traditional filmmaking with modern technology, exploring themes of cruelty and violence in ancient Rome. "Gladiator II" opens in theaters on November 22.