A new trailer of filmmaker Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington takes the audiences back to the Roman arena, promising an action-packed drama triggered by a revenge saga in the sequel to 2000’s Gladiator.

Dropped by the makers on Monday, the two-minute-32-second long trailer features Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix in the original film). It shows how Lucius gears up to fight for exacting revenge for the power brokers in Rome.

Set several years after the events of Gladiator, the sequel takes place in the northern African region of Numidia, where Lucilla sent Lucius as a child for safety. Now Lucius returns to Rome as a young man, eager to step into the world of gladiators and confront old and new enemies. The action-packed trailer showcases brutal fights and unfolds drama as Lucius reunites with his mother, only to learn that he is not only Lucilla’s son but also the offspring of Maximus Decimus Meridius, the legendary gladiator portrayed by Russell Crowe in the original film. “Take your father’s strength. His name was Maximus. And I see him in you,” she tells Lucius as he prepares for battle.

Alongside Mescal, Gladiator 2 also boasts of an ensemble supporting cast. Pedro Pascal takes on the role of Marcus Acacius, a seasoned Roman general who trained under Maximus. Denzel Washington plays a wealthy Roman aristocrat who harbours the dream of becoming the emperor. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger round out the ensemble as twin emperors.

Gladiator (2000) won five Academy Awards, including best picture and best actor for Crowe. The sequel is set to hit theatres on November 22.