Paul Mescal is reportedly in talks for a major film role.
The Maynooth native is said to have secured a role in the highly anticipated sequel to 2000’s Gladiator, per Deadline.
The Normal People star will reportedly star as Lucius – the son of Lucilla and nephew of Commodus, who were played by Connie Nielsen and Joaquin Phoenix in the first film.
Lucius was portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark in the original Gladiators, with Paul reportedly set to play the older version of the character.
Filming is expected to start on the highly anticipated sequel in May.
Details of the plot remain under wraps, but there’s hopes Russell Crowe will make an appearance in flashback scenes as his iconic character Maximus.
A source told The UK Sun: “This has been building since 2018 and for a long time it looked like it may never see the light of day.”
“But suddenly late last year the production team really sprung into life after settling on a new script which seemed to inspire them,” the source continued. “A few months later everything was up and running and now it’s well underway.”
“They should be filming by May, which means there’s every chance the movie will be ready some time in 2024. Either way, this would be a huge box office draw.”
“It’s one of the biggest action films of its era and was a massive hit. People have been asking Ridley about a follow-up for years, so there’s clearly a massive appetite for it,” the insider added.
The first Gladiator film raked in a massive £460 million at the box office after its release in 2000, and scooped five Academy Awards – including Best Picture and Best Actor.
