The trailer for the “Gladiator” sequel dropped on Tuesday, leaving followers questioning why Paul Mescal performs the slave fighter Lucius as a substitute of Spencer Deal with Clark, who performed him within the unique.
Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a former Roman normal who’s betrayed and offered into slavery. Lucius, the inheritor to the Roman Empire, watches Maximus battle within the Colosseum.
The 2000 film is likely one of the most beloved historic epics of all time and received 5 Oscars, together with finest movie and finest actor. Due to this, there’s loads of stress on “Gladiator 2” to dwell as much as the excessive expectations set by the unique.
The primary trailer for “Gladiator 2,” which is out on November 22, suggests Lucius disappeared after the occasions of the unique film and solid a life for himself. However like Maximus, he is compelled into turning into a fighter when he is captured by Normal Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and his troopers.
It isn’t shocking that Scott solid Mescal as Lucius for the sequel contemplating the Irish actor has turn into a rising star after his critically acclaimed performances in”Regular Folks,” “Aftersun,” and “All of Us Strangers.”
However “Gladiator” followers on social media have stated it is odd that Scott did not ask Clark to reprise the position since he is nonetheless working as an actor.
Scott stated he wanted somebody youthful to play Lucius in “Gladiator 2”
Clark, who’s now 36 years previous, additionally performed Joseph Dunn in “Unbreakable” reverse Bruce Willis — a task he later reprised in 2019’s “Glass.” And he is appeared in a number of TV exhibits, together with “Brokers of S.H.I.E.L.D,” “Animal Kingdom,” and “Manhunt.”
In November final yr, Scott informed Deadline that he wished to solid a youthful actor to play Lucius in “Gladiator 2” and that he was impressed by Mescal, who’s 28, in “Regular Folks.”
Scott stated: “I am at all times searching for somebody, one thing new and recent. I imply, recent is very essential. So they don’t seem to be carrying … baggage is a horrible phrase for what they’ve executed earlier than, as a result of it is nice stuff, however you’ll bear in mind he simply did this character already.
“I watched this present referred to as ‘Regular Folks.’ It is uncommon for me, however I noticed one and thought, that is attention-grabbing. These actors are actually good I watched the entire goddamn present and thought, rattling.”
He added: “So this got here up at a time once I want a 23-year-old, 24-year-old to take up the mantle of Lucius. And I simply stated, ‘You need to do it?’ He stated, ‘Yeah.'”
Representatives for Spencer Deal with Clark did not instantly reply to a request for remark from Enterprise Insider.
Correction: July 11, 2024 — An earlier model of this story misstated that the primary “Gladiator” movie received an Oscar for finest director.