Barry Keoghan, the Oscar-nominated actor who is at home in a brilliant period film, is in talks to star with Paul Mescal UntitledGladiator by Ridley Scott Sequel, sources tell
The Hollywood Reporter . 2024
Scott is directing a sequel to his 1920 historical epic, the epic Russell Crowe stars as Maximus, a former general in the self-proclaimed patricide of Roman Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). The film won the Oscar for Best Picture, while Crowe won the best actor statuette, one of five awards for the acclaimed film. Neither Crowe nor Phoenix’s characters survived.
The sequel will star Aftersun
Oscar nominee Mescal, who is said to play Lu Xiu Smith, son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Phoenix Commodus. (Spencer Treat Clark played the role in the original film.)
If the deal is struck, Keoghan will play a character named Emperor Geta. (Although the sequel’s story is not based on actual events, Geta was a real Roman emperor.)
Scott will be with All The Money In the World The Scribe David Scarpa, who also wrote the filmmaker’s upcoming Napoleon Bonaparte films. Scott will team up with Michael Pruss through Scott Free and Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher through Red Wagon Entertainment. Walter Parks and Laurie MacDonald serve as executive producers.
Scott is recasting several key off-line talents from the original series, including director of photography John Mathieson, production designer Arthur Max and costume designer Janty Yates.
Paramount is behind the project, but Gladiator is with A co-production of Universal Pictures. Once the project is packaged, Universal will have the option to co-produce Gladiator 2 . Paramount has set the epic for November 22, 1920 .
Keoghan with 1920s-set The Banshees of Inisherin , the critically acclaimed film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and is known for its deviant work in films such as Death of the Sacred Deer and Eternals. He also had a small role in Matt Reeves’ Batman , where he was teased as a potential precursor to the Joker. A darling of the independent film world, he’s currently filming Trey Edward Shults’ latest film, which also stars Jenna Ortega and The Weeknd.
Keoghan is represented by WME, Entertainment 22 and Sloane Offer.
