Gladiator 2 Gets Positive Filming Start Update After Delay Reports

Gladiator 2 star Paul Mescal gives a positive update on the sequel’s production start after his prior commitments were said to delay shooting.

Gladiator 2 star Paul Mescal gives a positive update on the sequel’s production start. Gladiator 2 is a sequel to director Ridley Scott’s 2000 film Gladiator, which starred Russell Crowe. The original movie follows a betrayed Roman general who became a slave forced into gladiatorial combat, ultimately fighting his way to revenge for his slain family. The film earned over $500 million worldwide and five Academy Award nominations, winning Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. Finally, after 23 years, a sequel is going into production with Mescal set to star.

Following word that Mescal’s commitments delayed Gladiator 2‘s production start, he gave a positive update while speaking with Deadline at the BAFTA Awards.

Despite not providing a definitive start date, the actor has an idea of when production will get underway. Filming on Gladiator 2 was initially delayed by two weeks due to Mescal’s role in the play A Streetcar Named Desire, with production now reportedly set to kick off in just a few months. Check out Mescal’s comment on Gladiator 2‘s production start below:

“In the summer. I’m not sure when the exact start date is but soon.”

Related: Russell Crowe’s Maximus Only Has 1 Way To Return In Gladiator 2

What We Know About Gladiator 2

Scott is returning to direct the long-gestating sequel, which he has been working on since the first Gladiator‘s release. The project has changed over the years, with the original Gladiator 2 idea said to follow Crowe’s Maximus in the afterlife. However, throughout the script’s development, the Gladiator 2 story has since shifted to Lucius, the son of Connie Nielson’s Lucilla from the original film. Unbreakable‘s Spencer Treat Clark played Lucius in the original movie, and now Mescal will take over for an older version of the character.

Crowe recently stated that he will not be returning for Gladiator 2 and also shed some light on what the story may cover, saying it will take place 30 years later, with Lucius now serving as the Emperor. Earlier script ideas were said to involve Lucius searching for the truth of his parentage. Whether elements of that story carry through to the newest iteration of Gladiator 2 remains to be seen. Still, given that the story centers on Lucius, it may play an important part, especially since the first film also touched on who his father really was.

While Crowe is not returning, his character, along with Joaquin Phoenix’s, could appear through flashbacks to still make an appearance and further connect the sequel to Gladiator. Still, even with most details still under wraps, it seems certain that Scott can deliver the same epic entertainment he delivered with the original film and other recent examples like The Last Duel and Robin Hood. Further details on Gladiator 2 will be forthcoming as production nears, with the film eyeing a release in 2024.

Next: Gladiator 2’s Paul Mescal Casting Destroys A Major Sequel Challenge

Source: Deadline