Ridley Scott ‘s Gladiator sequel has been in development for years, and the film is finally coming together — and to theaters soon — with an A-list cast. Scott directed the 2000 historical drama starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix , Oliver Reed and more. The film was a hit at the box office and took home five trophies at the Academy Awards in 2001, including Best Picture.
Discussions quickly began about either a prequel or a sequel. Scott initially announced in 2003 that the script for a follow-up film was completed, but plans were put on pause in 2006 after DreamWorks Pictures was sold to Paramount. The sequel was officially greenlit 12 years later.
It wasn’t until January 2023 that Gladiator 2 found its leading man. Paul Mescal , whose career took off after the release of Hulu’s Normal People in 2020, captivated execs with his performance in a West End production of A Streetcar Named Desire . Later that year, Pedro Pascal and Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn were confirmed to be joining Mescal.
When filming wrapped, Mescal hinted that he wasn’t quite prepared to be a big movie star following his roles in After Sun, All of Us Strangers and other smaller budget flicks. “I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naive?” he told The Times in January 2024.
“Is it just that more people will stop you in the street? I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true.” He added: “I’ll have an answer next year.