After more than two decades, fans will finally get their much-requested sequel to the 2000 epic blockbuster Gladiator. Led by Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, the film was a hallmark of historical fiction and is considered a pop culture phenomenon.
Scott has always wanted to return to the Colosseum, and it seems that he is now prepping for the big fight. Sources believe that the director has found the lead star for his upcoming sequel in the name of Normal People actor Paul Mescal.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator Sequel Considered Big-Time Actors For Movie’s Lead Role
In an exclusive report from Deadline, prospective actors meeting with Ridley Scott was reported in November after the final draft of the movie’s script has been handed in. Paul Mescal was the first actor to meet with Scott. Sources revealed that the director also met with other actors, but Mescal was obviously his top favorite.
Other actors considered for the role were Call Me By Your Name’s Timothee Chalamet and Top Gun: Maverick’s Miles Teller. Both actors were at the top of their games over the past few years. Mescal rose to fame for his role in the Hulu limited series Normal People with Daisy Edgar-Jones for which he won an Emmy nomination. The actor has also flaunted his physique which is suitable for a Gladiator role.
Gladiator earned over $460 million at the worldwide box office and bagged 12 Academy Awards. Mescal is hinted to play Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who is now a grown man. At the end of the first movie, he and his mother were saved by Maximus (Russell Crowe), and it left an impression on Lucius that he will always remember.
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Gladiator Sequel Could Be Paul Mescal’s Biggest Break In Hollywood
After appearing in the acclaimed TV series, Mescal’s role in the Gladiator sequel will indeed elevate his status in Hollywood. The actor is only at the beginning of his career and becoming a part of a colossal franchise already stamps a victory badge on his résumé.
There is little known about the plot of the Gladiator sequel, and many details are still kept under wraps because it is only in early production. However, director Scott has hinted that he wants to go back all the way from when the first movie hit the theaters.
Ridley Scott will produce the film with Michael Pruss, Doug Wick, and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Entertainment, together with David Scarpa as the scriptwriter. Paul Mescal also starred in Cannes Film Festival’s God’s Creatures and Aftersun.
Gladiator (2000) is available to stream via Netflix, Paramount Plus, and Prime Video.
Source: Deadline
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