Gladiator II FIRST LOOK: Paul Mescal's Lucius vows to follow legendary Maximus out of the fighting pits as enslaved former heir picks up the sword in blood soaked first trailer for Ridley Scott's blockbuster sequel

Several decades have passed, but Maximus remains fresh in the memory as Paul Mescal's Lucius Verus picks up the sword in the first official trailer for Ridley Scott's eagerly anticipated Gladiator II. 

Mescal takes his biggest  role to date in this epic historical blockbuster, a blood and gore soaked sequel to Scott's award-winning 2000 triumph, Gladiator.

With Russell Crow's legendary Maximus long-since dead and buried, it is Lucius - the grandson of Rome's former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla  - who must fight for his liberty after being taken into slavery. 

A former heir to the Roman empire, Lucius is taken into slavery by Pedro Pascal's Marcus Acacius and his marauding army of troops. 

Played by 12-year old Spencer Treat Clark in Scott's original film, Lucius is now fully grown and intent on following the lead set by Maximus by forcing his way out of the notorious fighting pits. 

Fans of the original film will remember that Lucius is also the nephew of Marcus’ son Commodus, who famously killed his father to seize the throne.

In Gladiator, Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, was killed while fighting Maximus, who save the young Lucius and his mother while avenging his own wife and son's death. 

The long-awaited Gladiator sequel will debut 24 years after the original historical film was released to commercial and critical acclaim in 2000.

At the time, Gladiator won five Oscars from its 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe's portrayal of gladiator Maximus.

David Scarpa scripted the sequel, while Ridley, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss and David Franzoni produced the film.