A darling of our forthcoming awards season is nearly here, and we’re not talking about Wicked. After a year of anticipation and a thrilling press tour, Gladiator II lands in theaters this month, straight from the video village of Ridley Scott who directed the original film. The sequel stars Paul Mescal as...hold that thought. Let’s rewind. We exist in the context of all in which we live.

What do I need to know?

Respect the form of the sequel and watch the original—it’s what Paul would want. Released in 2000, Gladiator is a story of revenge set in the era of the Roman empire. Also directed by Ridley Scott, this epic follows Russell Crowe’s Maximus, a once-powerful Roman general who goes from commanding armies to fighting for his life in the brutal gladiator pits. He makes an enemy of Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus; rightfully so, the f*cker had his family killed. Maximus divas up and vows to take down the emperor and restore honor to Rome.

Major spoilers ahead, so skip to the end if you’re already sold. Gladiator II takes place 16 years after the events of the first film, with Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe’s fallen Maximus. The film picks up with Lucius living as a farmer with a wife and a fake name, but when the Roman army invades his city, he is taken prisoner and made to be a gladiator. Much like its predecessor, Gladiator II will be a story of revenge—like father, like son. This is not a loosely related homage to a 25-year-old movie. It’s a full-blown sequel, making its original required viewing.

Where can I watch the original Gladiator?

This 25-year-old flick is available to stream on Paramount+, and with Gladiator II premiering on November 22, you’re running out of time to catch up. Get streaming and prepare your Oscar brackets. In its year, the original was the second highest grossing film in the box office and won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor. If Paul Mescal receives his due, we’ll be looking at a real legacy.

This year, he’d likely be standing up against the likes of Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, Ralph Fiennes for Conclave, Colman Domingo for Sing Sing, Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown, and Daniel Craig for Queer. On the Best Picture front, Gladiator II will complete against Wicked (naturally), Conclave, Anora, A Real Pain, Emilia Pérez, and Dune: Part Two, amongst others.

Watch ‘Gladiator’ Now