Ridley Scott is returning to direct Gladiator 2 with Paul Mescal potentially starring, and his casting will ease fears over the sequel's major challenge. Released in 2000, Gladiator is widely considered to be a modern classic having made $460 million at the box office, winning 5 Academy Awards, and having had a major influence on productions like Game of Thrones. Despite its success, a sequel to the historical classic has been stuck in development hell since the early 2000s. But the recent news that Paul Mescal is in negotiations to lead Gladiator 2 is a welcome sign that the anticipated follow-up to Gladiator is on its way.
26-year-old Paul Mescal is set to play Lucius, who in Gladiator was the son of Lucilla, Maximus's former partner, and idolized Russell Crowe's Roman warrior. If Mescal signs on for the role, he will have edged out better-known actors including Austin Butler, who recently played Elvis Presley, and Miles Teller, who co-starred in Top Gun: Maverick. Although Mescal starring in Gladiator 2 may be seen as a risk by some, his casting is actually the perfect decision for both the sequel and the actor himself.
Gladiator 2's Casting Was A Huge Challenge - But Paul Mescal Is Brilliant
The success of Gladiator means that there is a lot of pressure on Gladiator 2 to deliver a story that is comparable in terms of scale, emotional weight, and action. The greatest challenge for the long-awaited Gladiator sequel is getting its casting right. Gladiator's two leads, Russell Crowe as Maximus and Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus, gave phenomenal performances that were universally praised, earning Crowe the Academy Award for Best Actor and Phoenix a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Whoever plays the sequel's adult Lucius needs to be able to captivate viewers in the same way that the two now-veteran Hollywood stars did in Gladiator.
Any fears that the lead actor of Gladiator 2 won't live up to expectations will be put to rest if Paul Mescal's negotiations are successful. While Mescal's filmography only spans a few years, he has already proven himself to be a fantastic on-screen actor. Although he is best known for his role as Connell in Normal People, Paul Mescal's performance in Aftersun has earned the young Irishman his greatest critical response and several Best Actor nominations from various distinguished movie associations. With his TV, movie, and theater roles, Mescal has demonstrated he has the acting range and presence to make Gladiator 2 a worthy successor to the original.
Could Paul Mescal In Gladiator 2 Mirror Russell Crowe's Success?
While Ridley Scott’s Gladiator was not Russell Crowe's first movie role, it was the movie that made his career. Before starring in Ridley Scott's beloved epic, Crowe had built a good reputation thanks to his high-profile performances in well-received movies like L.A. Confidential and The Insider. But it was Russell Crowe's performance as Maximus in Gladiator that made him a household name and granted him even more leading actor opportunities. Since Gladiator, Crowe has gone on to have a largely successful career, with many notable movies including Les Misérables and Thor: Love and Thunder.
If Gladiator 2 does as well as the original, then Paul Mescal's career could follow a similar trajectory to Russell Crowe's. Mescal has more than one critically acclaimed performance already, with Normal People, Aftersun, and God's Creatures being lauded, which is complimented by his impressive on-stage resume. But Paul Mescal is yet to star in a box office smash hit. If Mescal delivers the sort of performance that he has proven he can, then Gladiator 2 is likely to be a global success and give Mescal a huge career leap in the process, just like Gladiator did for Russell Crowe.