Ridley Scott promises authentic Roman experience with 'Gladiator II'

Legendary film director Ridley Scott revealed that he strived for thorough historical accuracy in "Gladiator II," the sequel to his 2000 global hit "Gladiator," to allow audiences to fully experience everything about the Roman Empire era.

"This (film) is under the banner of entertainment, but I always looked for the actual historical accuracy in how people dressed, how buildings were built, how they lived, how they breathed. I need to smell room of the period," the 86-year-old director told Korean reporters during an online conference, Friday.

"They (the Roman Empire) may be the most dominant force ever to be in history. And therefore, if you look on that as a fact and then realize that now you're watching a perfume version of that, I always come from the reality into how I serve it as a film. And that's what's interesting, because it's great when films are not only engaging, but also they are informative."

When asked about releasing a sequel after 24 years, the director acknowledged it was a challenge because audiences tend to think sequels aren't as good as the original.

"People ask, why is it taking so long? And I said, have you ever tried to write a book or a screenplay that's the most difficult thing to do? Taking a sequel, which is even more dangerous, because people expect sequels always to be not as good as the first one," Scott said.

“Gladiator II” takes place about 20 years after the death of the first film's protagonist, gladiator Maximus, and is also set in the Roman Empire under the rule of tyrannical co-emperors Caracalla and Geta.

In addition to the director, the online conference featured actors Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Fred Hechinger.

Mescal plays Lucius Verus, a former heir to the empire and son of Maximus, who is taken to Rome as a gladiator when his home Numidia in Africa is conquered by the Roman Empire.

Veteran Hollywood actor Washington portrays Macrinus, the gladiators' owner who later plots to control the Roman Empire. Actor Nielsen plays Lucilla, who tries to rebuild Rome from tyrants, while Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla who rules the Roman Empire, alongside his brother Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn).

"Gladiator II" shows an even grander scale than its predecessor, featuring scenes where warriors battle on ships floating in a water-filled Colosseum arena.

Washington revealed that such impressive scale productions were made possible by the passion of the production team and director.

"Ridley gave me everything I needed to be alive and be a Roman and feel like I'm there. I mean, it's unbelievable sets and production," he said.

Mescal shared that he combined intense exercise and diet to build a physique befitting a powerful gladiator.

"Lots and lots of chicken breasts, lots of broccoli, lots of heavy lifting," Mescal said. "As we were kind of getting nearer to shooting with Ridley, I could feel Ridley just scanning me as the weeks were getting close. Literally, I was the biggest I'd ever been about two weeks before filming, and Ridley kind of grabbed my shoulders saying 'You're nearly there.'"

He added that he was impressed with Korean director Park Chan-wook's latest film “Decision to Leave” last year and would like to film with him in the future.

"Gladiator II" is scheduled to hit theaters in Korea on Nov. 13, earlier than anywhere else in the world, as the film will be released in the North American region on Nov. 22.