Sir Ridley Scott insists Gladiator II is 'as good' as original epic

Sir Ridley Scott has promised 'Gladiator II' is "as good as" the Oscar-winning first film.

The 86-year-old director returns to the Roman age after 24 years for the upcoming epic, and Scott has reassured fans of the 2000 original - which starred Russell Crowe as general-turned-slave Maximus Decimus Meridius - the blockbuster won't disappoint.

He told PEOPLE: "It's as good as the first one. I didn't say better, it's as good."

This comes after the filmmaker revealed the project – which stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn – boasts the "biggest action sequence" of Ridley's entire career, even bigger than his 2023 historical drama 'Napoleon'.

Speaking to Empire, he explained: "We begin the film with probably the biggest action sequence I’ve ever done. [It's] probably bigger than anything in 'Napoleon'."

While the director hypes the movie, Mescal, 28, admitted he was hoping 'Gladiator II' and 'Wicked' could recreate the 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon – which saw 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' dominate the box office last year - when both flicks hit theatres on 22 November.

Mescal told Entertainment Tonight: "Wickdiator doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it? I think my preference would probably be Glicked if it has a similar effect to what it did for 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'.

"It would be amazing 'cause I think the films couldn’t be more polar opposites, and it worked in that context previously. So, fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend."

The Oscar-nominee plays the role of Lucius Verus in the sequel - the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery - and explained the challenges of getting into shape for the part.

The 28-year-old actor said: "I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when s*** hits the fan.

"I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior.

"Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling.

"You carry yourself differently. It has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film."