Paul Mescal has been selected to play the major role in Gladiator 2 after extensive casting deliberations.
According to Deadline, the Normal People star will lead Paramount’s Gladiator sequel directed by Ridley Scott.
The original 2000 film starring Russell Crowe as Maximus was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won five, including Best Picture. The sequel will focus on Mescal as Lucius, a Roman with notable relatives: he is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and grandson of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris).
Scott will direct and produce Gladiator 2, while Napoleon screenwriter David Scarpa will handle the script. Costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max, both of whom worked on the original film, are also on board to transport us back to approximately 200 BCE.
Although the sequel has been in development since 2018, no release date has been announced. Hopefully, we will soon be entertained with additional details.
»Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator 2’ Will Be Led By ‘Normal People’ Star Paul Mescal«