Who Will Star In The ‘Gladiator’ Movie Sequel

Denzel Washington is in the final stage of negotiations to star in the highly anticipated “Gladiator” sequel — to mark a cinematic reunion with filmmaker Ridley Scott, who will helm the upcoming film, according to Deadline. Scott famously directed Washington in 2007’s “American Gangster.”

Though Washington’s role in the film is being kept a secret“after reading the script, sources close to the project said [Washington] was excited about the bad-ass role Scott had written with him in mind.”.

Confirmed cast

The “Equalizer” star would join previously cast Oscar nominees Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) and Barry Keoghan (“Eternals”) in the film.

The sequel is expected to be set years after the events of Scott’s massively successful “Gladiator,” which was released in 2000.

The original historical action flick starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman soldier forced into slavery who vows to seek vengeance against Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). “Gladiator” was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

The Gladiator was a box office success, grossing over $460 million worldwide against a production budget of $103 million. It was the highest-grossing film of 2000 and was also the fifth-highest-grossing film of its year in the United States. The film’s success was partly due to its critical acclaim and positive word-of-mouth, as well as its star-studded cast and impressive visual effects. The Gladiator’s success also helped to revive the historical epic genre in Hollywood, which had been in decline in the years leading up to the film’s release.

Washington — who has collaborated on multiple hit films directed by Ridley’s late brother Tony Scott, including “Man on Fire,” “Crimson Tide” and “Deja Vu” — recently starred in the 2021 Apple TV film “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”

He received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role as the title character in “Macbeth,” making him the most nominated Black actor in Oscars history, with 10 nominations and two wins.

Scott is also producing the sequel with Michael Pruss via his production company, Scott Free, alongside Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment.

Release date

The “Gladiator” sequel is slated for release on Nov. 22, 2024