«Gladiator 2: Paul Mescal will take on the lead role of Lucius, the son of Lucilla, in Ridley Scott’s sequel»
11 july 2024 в 02:37
Continuation of the film «Gladiator» by Ridley Scott with the participation of actors, fans of the film. Alongside Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn, the main role of Lucius is played by Paul Mescal. In the original 2000 film, Lucius, the son of Lucilla, was a child. «Gladiator II» presents him as the former heir to the empire, who assumes his mother is dead as he has not seen her in 15 years. Since Paul plays the adult version of Lucius, viewers wonder what happened to the original actor who played this role: Spencer Treat Clark.
Hollywood Life journalists gathered details about the casting of «Gladiator II».
Spencer is still working as an actor. After appearing in «Gladiator», - he starred in films such as «Unbreakable», - «Glass», - and «Weird: The Al Yankovic Story». He also played roles in TV series such as «Animal Kingdom» and «Manhunt».
Neither Paul nor Spencer have commented on the casting for «Gladiator II». However, Ridley sat down with Total Film and explained why he chose Paul for the role of Lucius.
«Can I imagine Paul Mescal becoming as popular as Russell Crowe? Of course», - Ridley told the magazine in October 2023, referring to his main character from the original «Gladiator». Ridley also noted that he watched Paul’s show, which convinced him of his choice of actor. «I watched 'Normal People.' It’s not my type of show, but I watched four episodes in a row — boom, boom, boom. I thought, 'Who is this Paul Mescal?' And then I watched the whole series. And suddenly 'Gladiator II' came up because the script was working quite well. And I kept thinking about Paul. And that’s how it happened».
«Gladiator II» has been in development since 2001 — a year after the original film was released. Despite more than two decades passing, the film was already focused on Lucius and his past. By 2003, the script, according to reports, was completed, but the project went into development hell after 2006.
During the conversation with Total Film, Ridley noted that the film «didn't have a script [before]» and that he «picked a very good writer who couldn’t figure it out».
«So, it stalled», - the director added. «And then we regrouped, came back with a very obvious idea, and why not? There’s a survivor. The survivor — the son of the union between Lucilla and Maximus».
After more than a decade, Ridley did not give up on the sequel. In 2018, Paramount Pictures officially approved the project, and Paul was chosen for the role of Lucius in 2023
Hollywood Life journalists gathered details about the casting of «Gladiator II».
Spencer is still working as an actor. After appearing in «Gladiator», - he starred in films such as «Unbreakable», - «Glass», - and «Weird: The Al Yankovic Story». He also played roles in TV series such as «Animal Kingdom» and «Manhunt».
Neither Paul nor Spencer have commented on the casting for «Gladiator II». However, Ridley sat down with Total Film and explained why he chose Paul for the role of Lucius.
«Can I imagine Paul Mescal becoming as popular as Russell Crowe? Of course», - Ridley told the magazine in October 2023, referring to his main character from the original «Gladiator». Ridley also noted that he watched Paul’s show, which convinced him of his choice of actor. «I watched 'Normal People.' It’s not my type of show, but I watched four episodes in a row — boom, boom, boom. I thought, 'Who is this Paul Mescal?' And then I watched the whole series. And suddenly 'Gladiator II' came up because the script was working quite well. And I kept thinking about Paul. And that’s how it happened».
«Gladiator II» has been in development since 2001 — a year after the original film was released. Despite more than two decades passing, the film was already focused on Lucius and his past. By 2003, the script, according to reports, was completed, but the project went into development hell after 2006.
During the conversation with Total Film, Ridley noted that the film «didn't have a script [before]» and that he «picked a very good writer who couldn’t figure it out».
«So, it stalled», - the director added. «And then we regrouped, came back with a very obvious idea, and why not? There’s a survivor. The survivor — the son of the union between Lucilla and Maximus».
After more than a decade, Ridley did not give up on the sequel. In 2018, Paramount Pictures officially approved the project, and Paul was chosen for the role of Lucius in 2023
© Smirnova Olga
