Inherit the epic of Russell Crowe in Gladiator This is not an easy task. But ask them Paul Mescal. The actor presented the sequel two weeks ago with media attention on the expectations that little by little the promotion had aroused among the public. A large part of the spectators who still could not fully know the Irish performer, since until that moment the Oscar candidate for After-sun had not participated in any blockbuster of this commercial level. For this reason and considering the investment in the project, Paramount Pictures and Ridley Scott himself considered other names to lead the cast of Gladiator IIsuch as that of the requested Timothée Chalamet.
At 28 years old, Chalamet is considered one of the only sure values at the American box office. Above all, following its last two major screenings on the big screen. On the one hand, its role as Wonka ($634 million) and on the other hand, Dune: part two ($714 million). Blockbusters that led him to sign a long-term deal with Warner Bros. Pictures and, therefore, to be in all the pools for any future big role worthy of the name. Something understandable if, like Hollywood, the public sees him as one of the few stars with pretensions who remain in the Mecca of cinema. It is therefore not surprising that the British filmmaker has shared in recent hours that his profile was being considered for the return to the Shakespearean epic by Máximo Décimo Meridio. However, when Scott saw Mescal in Normal peopleit was clear to him that he had found the little-known son of the Hispanic captain of Marcus Aurelius’s troops. But what does this cult BBC and Hulu miniseries have to determine the director’s choice of Stranger And blade runner?
He saw the series “almost by chance”
Normal people adapts the novel of the same name Sally RooneyMescal’s fellow writer has sold more than three million books worldwide, becoming one of this year’s most sought-after novelists after the publication of the recent sales phenomenon “Intermezzo.” With 12 episodes and available on Movistar +, the fiction focuses on Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Mescal), two young lovers who move from high school to the undergraduate years at Trinity College.
The series was a huge success and is today considered a cult story. But Scott, he saw her “almost by accident” because as he himself assures before falling asleep, he always sees something:
“It wasn’t really my thing, but I watched two episodes and thought the boy and girl were fantastic. Then I spent eight hours watching them,” the director said. THR. Scott was sure that Mescal was his man for Gladiator II after seeing Normal people and the actor did not hesitate to embark on a big production with him, despite his doubts about being his first film with a major studio. The collaboration was so fruitful that both will repeat it in the filmmaker’s next work, an apocalyptic thriller titled Dog Stars.
Whatever the final choice of the actor Unknownwe do not know if Chalamet would have agreed to descend into the Coliseum arena, with the physical and muscular sacrifice that this implies. His upcoming schedule is one of the most complete and busiest on the film calendar. It will be released soon A complete strangerhe biopic on Bob Dylan who could offer him his second nomination for the golden statuette. While in 2025 we will have it featured Marty Supreme by A24 and Joshua Safdie. Of course, in 2026 he will return to the Arrakis desert to close the Dune audiovisual trilogy with Dune: Messiah.
“Gladiator II” and the box office
Released last November 15 and with a budget of $250 million, Gladiator II currently has 220 million accumulated inside ticket office. Figures which ensure that Paramount could be very profitable for its “recoil effect”. With this, we cannot exclude the idea of a Gladiator III already suggested by Ridley Scott himself.
Accompanying Mescal, the suite also includes other faces recognized as Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger. Years after Maximus’ death, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by two emperors who tyrannize Rome. Seeking an obvious thirst for revenge, Lucius must recover the lost glory of Rome in its origins and spark a revolution from the arena itself.
