Denzel Washington’s upcoming role in Gladiator 2 reunites him with another respected talent in Hollywood, but it isn’t the upcoming sequel’s director, Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington’s starring role in Gladiator 2 will reunite the two-time Academy Award-winning actor with the prolific director for the first time since 2007’s American Gangster. While the collaboration between Washington and Scott is exciting, Washington’s starring role in his first epic sword-and-sandal project is just as exciting.

However, his collaboration with one of the movie’s stars is another reason for audiences to be excited about the upcoming sequel. Given the level of talent involved and the massive success of the first entry in the franchise, Gladiator 2 could break box office records, which would be a much-needed success for Scott. Although Scott’s recent movies haven’t been as popular as Gladiator, the anticipation for the upcoming sequel suggests that audiences can’t wait to revisit Scott’s interpretation of ancient Rome. Furthermore, Denzel Washington seldom does sequels, especially movies that are already a part of another franchise, so his involvement with Gladiator 2 is exciting for that and for his actor reunion.