Is Denzel Washington approaching an acting retirement from the big screen? In a recent interview with Empire magazine to promote his role in Ridley Scott’s “ Gladiator 2 ,” the two-time Oscar winner acknowledged that the upcoming swords-and-sandals epic was one of the few remaining films that still piqued his interest. Washington refrained from disclosing the exact number of such roles left.

"There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” Washington explained regarding his decision to star in the "Gladiator" sequel.

It helped that Washington already had a great rapport with Scott from their time making 2007’s “American Gangster” together. The actor said: “We had a great go-round the first go-round and here we are. 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.”

Scott expresses strong confidence in "Gladiator 2," stating to Empire magazine that "it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. One of the best things. I’ve made a few good ’uns,”

The sequel features Paul Mescal as the grown-up Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus, the main villain in the original film portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. The narrative picks up years later with Lucius now residing in Numidia, a region in northern Africa, where his mother had sent him as a child as it was outside the grasp of the Roman Empire. Circumstances bring Lucius back to Rome as a gladiator, where he encounters new adversaries and reunites with his mother. Washington takes on the role of Macrinus, a wealthy power broker in Rome who maintains a stable of gladiators for entertainment.

"Gladiator 2" is scheduled to hit theaters on November 22, courtesy of Paramount.