The latest Gladiator 2 trailer reveals a secret about the new hero

Viewers of the original Gladiator may remember that there was some question about Lucius Verus’ (Spencer Treat Clark) paternity, as it was made abundantly clear that his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), was the former lover of the first film’s hero, Maximus (Russell Crowe). But in the new trailer for Gladiator 2, the older Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) finally learns the truth. He is Maximus’ son, and he’s following in his father’s footsteps.

In the years between the first film and its sequel, Lucius turned his back on Rome and became a warrior in his own right. He also started his own family and lived peacefully until General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) conquered his country and sent Lucius back to Rome as a slave. Like his father before him, Lucius will have to work his way up the gladiatorial ranks if he ever wants revenge.

Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are the co-emperors of Rome, and Lucius isn’t their only enemy. A former slave named Macrinus (Denzel Washington) has his own plans to defeat the emperors, with the reluctant help of Lucius and his fellow gladiators. Their endgames may partially match, but Lucius makes it clear that he has no love for Macrinus either. A new poster for the film has also been released, and it suggests that Lucius’ final battle with Marcus could be in the arena.

Gladiator director Ridley Scott returns to direct the sequel, which was written by David Scarpa. Gladiator 2 is set to hit theaters on November 22.