“Gladiator II” is set over two decades after the events of the original “Gladiator” film, which starred Russell Crowe. In the sequel, Paul Mescal plays the grown-up Lucius Verus II, the son of Crowe’s character, Maximus, who ends up forced into slavery and becomes a gladiator to earn his freedom, much like his dad did in the first movie.

Washington portrays former slave and Lucius’ mentor, Macrinus. The actor teased his possible retirement in August.

“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in,” Washington told Empire magazine. “I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley.”

The pair previously worked together on the 2007 film, “American Gangster.”

“We had a great go-round the first go-round [on ‘American Gangster’], and here we are,” continued Washington. “He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration.”

“We should all want to feel like that at 86,” the star added.

But during an appearance last month on the UK’s “Graham Norton Show,” Mescal, 28, took a moment to gush over meeting the Oscar winner on set.

“It was a big day in my life — it was amazing. I spent the first day thinking, ‘I must go introduce myself to him,’ and I stood there for several minutes before I [decided], ‘Not today,’” the actor reminisced. “The next day I decided to be a brave boy.”