Gladiator 2 May Have Found Its Lead

The 2000 movie Gladiator is getting a sequel, two decades later, and now it may have found its lead. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paul Mescal (Normal People, Aftersun) is in discussions for the lead role of Lucius, the son of Connie Nielsen's Lucilla from the original movie.

The Oscar-winning Gladiator film focused on Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, who is forced into becoming a gladiator and spars with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). The original Gladiator was directed by Ridley Scott, who is returning for the sequel.

According to Deadline, "every male actor in town that fit the profile began chasing the coveted part" that Mescal is reportedly about to close. No other names were mentioned in the report, though.

Gladiator 2, or whatever the movie is called, will take place "years" after the end of the first movie, which culminated with the death of Crowe's Maximus. Lucius did appear in the original film as a young boy, played by Spencer Treat Clark.

David Scarpa (All The Money In the World) is writing the script for the new Gladiator film. Scarpa also wrote Scott's upcoming Napoleon Bonaparte movie for Scott.

2000's Gladiator was a huge critical and commercial success, earning $500 million at the box office and picking up 12 Oscar nominations. It won five Oscars, including best picture.