Today, Deadline announced that actor Paul Mescal has been cast in the lead role for the upcoming sequel to The Gladiator. Paul Mescal is best known for his role in the TV mini-series Normal People. Returning director Ridley Scott will direct the sequel from a script by David Scarpa. Many were confused about how a sequel could be made to the original 2000 film starring Russell Crowe because both Maximus (Crowe) and Commodus (Phoenix) die during the film’s climax.
The new film will take place years later and follow Commodus’s young nephew Lucius (played originally by Spencer Treat Clark) from the first film. Many actors were after the coveted role, including Miles Teller, Austin Butler, Richard Madden, and Timothée Chalamet. Production begins later this year under Paramount Pictures.
The Gladiator 2 has no set release date
