Denzel Washington reunites with director Ridley Scott to play a ‘bada** role’ in Gladiator sequel
Denzel Washington reunites with American Gangster director Ridley Scott to play a ‘bada** role’ in the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel.
According to deadlinethe two-time Oscar winner, 68 — who skipped the Academy Awards this year to attend an NBA game with Spike Lee — is in final negotiations to star alongside Paul Mescal, 27, in the epic sequel to the winner of the best movie in 2001.
The reunion between the 85-year-old Washington and Scott comes nearly 16 years after they made American Gangster, which received critical acclaim and grossed $266 million worldwide.
Sources revealed to deadline that Scott and the Paramount Washington top executives were heavily courted for the role, which is being kept under wraps.
The Equalizer star would have been won over by the script and “bada** role” the Alien filmmaker had written with him in mind.
Epic reunion: Denzel Washington, 68, reunites with American Gangster director Ridley Scott, 85, to play a ‘bada** role’ in the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel
Assassin Role: Sources revealed to Deadline that Scott and Paramount Washington’s top executives were heavily courted for the role, which is being kept under wraps (Russell Crowe portrayed in the original 2000 blockbuster)
The original blockbuster starred Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general who becomes the eponymous gladiator after being sentenced to slavery by the corrupt Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).
Crowe and Phoenix will not be returning for the sequel, as both of their characters die in the events of the first film, so the sequel will revolve around Lucius, Commodus’ cousin.
Mescal, who recently earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance in Aftersun, will play Lucius.
Mescal reportedly won the coveted role after competing with virtually every young leading actor in Hollywood, cementing his rise to the A-list.
And Washington’s involvement follows reports that another recent Oscar nominee, Barry Keoghan, 30, is in talks to play the role of a Roman emperor, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Irish actor’s critically acclaimed role in The Banshees Of Inisherin earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards last weekend, and he’s starred in blockbusters ranging from Eternals to The Batman.
The Original Gladiator was a huge commercial and critical success, earning $503 million worldwide and winning five Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Crowe, launching him as a major leading actor.
Scott was also nominated for Best Director, while Phoenix was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Their past collaboration: Washington and Scott’s reunion comes nearly 16 years after they made American Gangster, which received critical acclaim and grossed $266 million worldwide (Washington pictured in the 2007 crime drama)
Washington’s new co-star Paul Mescal, 27, who earned an Oscar nomination for Aftersun, is slated to play the central role of Lucius. Mescal reportedly won the coveted role after competing with virtually every young star in Hollywood, cementing his rise to the A-list
Win him over: The Equalizer star was reportedly won over by the script and the ‘bada** role’ the Alien filmmaker wrote with him in mind
Scott is working on the film with screenwriter David Scarpa, who he previously worked with on films such as All The Money In The World and the upcoming film Napoleon Bonaparte.
He also collaborates with key crew members from the original film, including costume designer Janty Yates, director of photography John Mathieson and production designer Arthur Max.
Paramount is producing the film with Universal, which means the prestigious project will premiere on November 22, 2024.
And Gladiator epics are hot this year as Scott’s sequel goes hand in hand with a TV drama called Those About To Die starring Sir Anthony Hopkins.
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