Fans have demanded for over 20 years now to see a follow-up to theRussell Crowe-led 2000 blockbusterGladiator, with the film’s directorRidley Scottnot shying away from saying he would be willing to once step back into the walls of the Colosseum. Now, it seems the reality of a sequel is closer than ever before as a new report has noted thatPaul Mescalof Hulu’s limited seriesNormal Peopleis in negotiations to lead the project.
The new report comes fromDeadline, released shortly after another report thatcasting was underway from a few days ago. Other details noted in the report are that Scott would once again serve as the director and would also produce the film alongsideMichael Pruss, Scott Free President as well asDoug WickandLucy Fisherof Red Wagon Entertainment.Janty YatesandArthur Max, the Costume Designer and Production Designer, respectively, of the original film are also set to return for the sequel. They would be working from a script written byDavid Scarpa. Mescal and Scott reportedly began to have serious meetings for the role after the first draft of the film were delivered in November of last year. Mescal, the first to meet with the director, is said to be Scott’s top pick for the role after a “fantastic meeting between the two”.Other actors who were consideredfor the role includeRichard MaddenandTimothée Chalamet, as well as last summer’s hot-shot film starsMiles TellerandAustin Butler.
Mescal is currently best known for his role in the aforementioned Hulu limited series,Normal People, which saw him earn a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie” in 2020. He has also appeared in the acclaimedAftersunthat released in 2022, with his performance receiving heavy praise. He was also featured inGod’s Creatureswhich premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
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The Role Mescal is Set to Play
The Deadline report also gave some insight into the character that Mescal is set to portray, and it is set to be a returning face. Mescal would lead the film as Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew ofJoaquin Phoenix’s Commodus. The mother and son were saved by Crowe’s Maximus when he defeated Commodus in combat, though he too succumbed to his injuries, allowing him to finally reunite with his murdered wife and son. The sequel will pick up years after the end of the first film and will follow the story of Lucius as a grown man. While the deal is not finalized for Mescal, the success that Crowe’s career saw following the original 2000 film, including a Best Actor Oscar, it is no surprise that this is a highly coveted role in the industry.
Stay tuned to Collider for future news and developments about theGladiatorsequel.
