NovaQuant-'Gladiator II' trailer teases Paul Mescal fighting Pedro Pascal — and a rhinoceros

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The trailer for "Gladiator II" debuted online Tuesday, providing fans first glimpse at the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning 2000 film.

Paul Mescal stars as Lucius, who idolizes Maximus (Russell Crowe) from the original movie and is the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus. "I remember that day," Lucius says in the trailer, as scenes from the first film are shown. "I never forgot it — that a slave could take revenge against an emperor."

Denzel Washington also stars as Macrinus, who tells Lucius that he will use him as his "instrument." The trailer teases several large-scale battle sequences and bloody fights, including one where Lucius faces off against an opponent riding in on a rhinoceros. Another battle sequence takes place in shark-filled water.

Lucius, who is seen with the sword of Crowe's Maximus, declares that he wants to take on the "entire Roman army," and the trailer concludes with a duel between him and general Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal. Connie Nielsen also returns as Lucilla from the original movie.

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Watch the 'Gladiator II' trailer

What is 'Gladiator 2' about?

"Years after witnessing the death of revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist," the official plot synopsis says. "With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people."

Scott returns behind the camera more than two decades after helming the first movie, which won the Oscar for best picture and grossed more than $400 million at the worldwide box office. Crowe also won the Oscar for best actor, and Scott was nominated for best director.

Are you not intrigued?Ridley Scott is working on a 'Gladiator' sequel

In a video message played at CinemaCon in April, Scott promised that the film will be "well worth the wait," adding that it's "possibly even more extraordinary than the first." Mescal, meanwhile, said working on the movie was "one of the standout moments in my life to date," while Washington said it has "emotion, action (and) spectacle unlike anything else on screen this year."

"Gladiator II" will join "Joker: Folie à Deux" and "Dune: Part Two" as sequels to Oscar-winning films that will be vying for additional Academy Awards attention in 2025. It hits theaters on Nov. 22, the same day as "Wicked."

First 'Gladiator 2' footage:Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal go into bloody battle

'Gladiator 2' cast

• Paul Mescal as Lucius
• Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius
• Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta
• Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla
• Connie Nielsen as Lucilla
• Denzel Washington as Macrinus

Contributing: Brian Truitt