Posted in: Movies, Paramount Pictures | Tagged: Gladiator, Gladiator 2, paul mescal, ridley scott

Paul Mescal Reportedly In Talks To Star In Gladiator 2

Development hell is a strange place with many strange bedfellows. Sometimes, it seems like this is a fate that these productions deserve, and no one wants to see this. For others, it's a crime that they have spent any time in development hell at all, and that should be punishment enough to get them greenlit. A follow-up to Gladiator is one of those movies where you're really unsure if this is a good idea, but it has been in varying stages of development since 2001. However, things fell apart back in 2006, and over a decade, until 2017, did things start to pick up again. It was officially greenlit in November 2018, and last year it was announced that the script was complete. Now it sounds like we have some actual movement. According to Deadline, Aftersun and Normal People star Paul Mescal is in negotiations to star in Gladiator 2. 

Gladiator 2 Is A Sequel But Don't Expect Any Russell Crowe

Gladiator 2 isn't looking to undo the awesome ending of Gladiator by saying that Maximus survived or anything like that. Instead, according to the following summary that Deadline got their hands on, it looks like we'll be following someone who was touched by Maximus in a very profound way, and Mescal will be playing that role.

"Mescal won't be replacing Crowe's Maximus, whose character met his end in the original film, but instead, he will be playing Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who now is a grown man as the story takes place years after the first film ended. Lucius was also the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father, seized the throne, and wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus — who, though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great beyond to reunite with his slain wife and son. Maximus saved the boy and his mother while avenging his own family and left a strong impression on the young Lucius."

The report says that while the deal isn't finalized, Paramount wants to lift this project from development hell, and they are considering Mescal, the star of Gladiator 2. Ridley Scott is back to direct the film with a script by David Scarpa, returning costume designer Janty Yates, and production designer Arthur Max. Scott is set to produce along with Scott Free President Michael Pruss, as well as Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment. Gladiator 2 will also likely not be the title, but there don't appear to be any other details at this time, including a production start date or a release date.

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