The Irish premiere of Gladiator II took place at the Lighthouse Cinema on Thursday evening, with Kildare native Paul Mescal spending nearly an hour with fans who had gathered at the Dublin venue.
Mescal was in high spirits as he chatted, signed books and took selfies while making his way down the red carpet to the cheers of fans and assembled press.
Speaking to RTÉ, the Oscar-nominated actor expressed his admiration for Irish fans, saying he was "always blown away by Irish fans who come and stand and wait to meet us."
He added: "Myself and the other Irish in London talk about it all the time - the welcome we get."
Mescal also shared his delight at being back in Ireland, saying: "I'm so happy to be home; it’s so special. Dublin is my home - this is where I trained and studied acting, so to be back like this is just amazing. There’s something in the water here - the quality of creative talent is just brilliant."
When asked about the possibility of the "London Irish" - such as Andrew Scott, Cillian Murphy, Saoirse Ronan, and Jessie Buckley - coming together on the big screen for a potential Marvel movie, Mescal laughed and said, "Yes, but no tights!"
Mescal also spoke about his working relationship with his Gladiator II co-star Denzel Washington and director Ridley Scott. He said: "I got to stand feet away from Denzel acting - he's been my acting hero for so long, himself and Ridley are incredible. I learnt so much."
Watch: Olympic gold medal-winner Daniel Wiffen tells RTÉ about his Gladiator-inspired move in the pool
Gladiator II is the sequel to the hugely successful original Gladiator movie, a historical epic that brought in more than €432 million worldwide. That movie was nominated for 12 Oscars and won five, including Best Picture, and also garnered its star, Russell Crowe, the Best Actor Award.
Crowe's powerful performance as the gladiator hero, Maximus, helped create the movie’s critical and box-office success. Now, after many false starts, the long-awaited and debated sequel is here: Gladiator II.
Watch: The trailer for Gladiator II which will be released in Irish cinemas on 15 November
In this new instalment, the story centres Lucius, played by Kildare’s finest, Paul Mescal. Set 15 years after the death of Crowe’s character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, combat in the Colosseum has become more deadly, violent, and spectacular as bloodthirsty crowds urge the half-mad twin emperors to new heights of cruelty.
The plot follows Lucius as he rises through the gladiatorial ranks to exact revenge against the Roman Empire. The empire has been relentlessly expanding its borders, pillaging every culture in its path, and forcing survivors to fight for their lives in the ring.
This is a huge movie for leading man, Paul Mescal, as it is his first time at the centre of a film of such global scale and attention. Normal People’s Conall and his school uniform are miles away from this bloody, epic tale!
Mescal is not alone, as he is surrounded by a heavyweight cast, both on and off the screen, from returning veteran director Ridley Scott to Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Connie Nielsen.
As producer Douglas Wick explained, creating a sequel was a tough challenge: "The challenge facing us was to make a film that would grab an audience that has seen grand combat many times over. Whatever we created had to provide captivating new thrills - a true spectacle for the ages."
No pressure, then.
So, what is the reaction so far?
While official reviews are embargoed until next week, fans are relying on online sources for tidbits to predict the potential response to the movie.
Watch: Paul Mescal takes you behind the scenes on Gladiator II
The test for the movie’s success will be whether filmgoers leave the cinema feeling they’ve been immersed in an epic adventure and the producers are determined to give audiences the best silver-screen experience possible.
From an aquatic invasion of an ancient fortress to a historically accurate naval battle staged in a flooded Colosseum, Gladiator II aims to be a cinematic event that will captivate viewers.
So far, the buzz is building positively, with journalist Scott Menzel describing it as "A big, bloody, and badass action spectacle that builds upon the legacy of the original."
"Ridley Scott returns to the Colosseum to prove to the world that HE’S. STILL. GOT. IT," critic Simon Thompson teases.
Watch: Paul Mescal's family attend Gladiator II family at the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin
While Mescal’s fans will be glued to the reviews to see how he fares in the Hollywood spotlight, another cast member generating buzz is Denzel Washington. He plays Macrinus, a duplicitous, behind-the-scenes power broker, and his fresh take on this classic Roman character has already caught the attention of awards watchers.
The movie aims to be an epic retelling of a familiar story in the tradition of classic cinema. The scale of the task was massive: the team spent over $200 million on the film and used cutting-edge technology to transport audiences back to Roman times.
For veteran director Ridley Scott, the challenge was exhilarating. "There’s a great deal of excitement about doing a film of this scale. You have to live through a great deal of stress. In fact, you’ve got to embrace stress! I do. It keeps me flying," he said.
On-screen, Mescal marches into the Colosseum to face his destiny; off-screen, he faces a similar challenge.
His global fans, though, will surely leave the cinema at the film’s end knowing he remains their conquering hero.
