Daily Times

If you were not entertained by the first “Gladiator” movie, maybe the sequel will change your mind.

Director Ridley Scott’s follow-up to “Gladiator” will release on Nov. 22, 2024, Paramount Pictures announced Friday. “Aftersun” Oscar nominee Paul Mescal is in negotiations to star.

The untitled sequel will be produced by Scott, his Scott Free Productions president Michael Pruss, Red Wagon Entertainment’s Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher David Scarpa will write the script.

Released in 2000, the original “Gladiator” starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman soldier forced into slavery who vows revenge against Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Since Maximus dies at the end of “Gladiator,” Mescal will play Lucius, the son of Maximus’ lover Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen), in the sequel.

Mescal is up for best actor at the 2023 Academy Awards for his role as young, troubled father in the A24 indie movie “Aftersun.” He will face off against Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) and Bill Nighy (“Living”). Mescal is also up for an Indie Spirit Award for best lead performance for “Aftersun.”

The 27-year-old actor first broke through with Hulu’s emotional adaptation of “Normal People” in 2020, for which he was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a limited series at the Emmy Awards. In 2021, he starred in “The Lost Daughter” opposite Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson and Jessie Buckley. Next up, he has the sci-fi thriller “Foe,” the British fantasy “Strangers” with Andrew Scott and Claire Foy, plus he’s filming the 20-year adaptation of “Merrily We Roll Along” with Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein.