A still from Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’
At the 2024 CineEurope trade show in Barcelona, Paramount wowed attendees with an extravagant showcase, highlighted by Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2. The studio erected a giant cardboard coliseum around the main auditorium, complete with Roman legionnaires, setting the stage for the highly anticipated sequel to the 2000 classic.
The event featured extended footage of Gladiator 2, starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, along with an unreleased trailer. Denzel Washington, Connie Nielson, and Joseph Quinn also star in the film, set for release on November 15.
In a video introduction, Scott reassured fans that the sequel is “well worth the wait,” despite nearly 25 years passing since the original film. Mark Viane, Paramount’s president of international theatrical distribution, emphasized the film’s grandeur, claiming it boasts some of the “biggest action sequences ever put on film.”
Paramount showcased a video featuring Viane and his team dressed as Romans and gladiators, re-enacting scenes from the original Gladiator with industry in-jokes.
In addition to Gladiator 2, Paramount’s presentation included the first five minutes of Smile 2, the sequel to the 2022 horror hit, which is slated for an October 18 release. The studio also unveiled two extended scenes from Transformers One, an animated origin story scheduled for September, presented in 3D.
Other highlights included teasers for Paw Patrol 3, the fourth installment in the Smurfs franchise (with songs by Rihanna), and an exclusive sneak peek at Sonic 3.
Paramount also previewed an extended scene from A Quiet Place: Day One, a prequel to the successful franchise, introduced by stars Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn. The duo promised that the film would keep audiences “on the edge of their seats.”
