Some legacy-quels move faster than others, with the path to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 taking the scenic route. As the director of the Academy Award winning epic is gearing up for a presumed spot on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases with his biopic Napoleon, that long awaited follow-up looks to be moving ever forward. What’s more, Russell Crowe’s successor has apparently been found.
Per reporting from Deadline, actor Paul Mescal is going to be the new hero to rise in the world of Gladiator. Gaining a following through projects like the Hulu series Normal People, and the recent indie darling Aftersun, Mescal is in negotiations at the moment to play the lead in Gladiator 2. From the sound of things, he's been a front runner for the gig for some time too.
What’s more, Ridley Scott is still on board as producer and director, with a script from screenwriter David Scarpa. The writer has previously collaborated with Scott on Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix, as well as 2017's All the Money in the World. The movie will be produced by Universal, who co-produced Gladiator with then upstart studio Dreamworks SKG.
As previously reported, this project will focus on Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Seen as a young boy in the previous installment, we don’t know anything about Paul Mescal’s potential lead. Except that he’s now a grown man, and more than likely still holding Russell Crowe’s Maximus as a role model in his mind.
Should that be the case, it could be an easy fix to any attempts to bring back Maximus in Gladiator 2. Crowe could act as a sort of sage spirit who guides Lucius through his adult life. It might require some de-aging and interesting plottery, but admittedly it’s better than the Nick Cave draft’s crazy resurrection plot.
Again, this is just guesswork in the absence of details. Which is to be expected, as a movie like a Gladiator sequel practically has "top secret" written on every page of information being circulated through Universal's offices. That said, if the Maximus connection is going to run strong and deep, even a disembodied voiceover would do the trick.
A little over two decades have seen the team behind Gladiator 2 consistently revisiting the idea of continuing this story of strength and honor. Producer Douglas Wick admitted that the reason the Gladiator sequel took so long to happen all came down to one major concern: finding the right idea. Now, with the right lead actor supposedly being found in Paul Mescal, the road to reality has only become clearer for this hotly anticipated continuation.
While there’s still no clue as to when Gladiator 2 will be released, or what its final title will be, the original film is currently streaming for anyone with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, Ridley Scott fans should expect Napoleon to debut at some point this year, as an Apple Original film.
