Denzel Washington is reportedly set to join the cast of the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel, directed by Ridley Scott. If negotiations are successful, Washington will star alongside rising stars Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, both recently nominated for Academy Awards. The film is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2024, by Paramount Pictures.
The original Gladiator film, released in 2000, was a massive box office hit and received five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. The sequel will see Mescal play the role of Lucius, the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix's character Commodus, while Keoghan will portray Emperor Geta. Washington's character has yet to be revealed, but they're saying it's pretty epic.
Scott and Washington have worked together before, most notably on the hit crime drama American Gangster in 2000. It seems the two industry veterans are eager to collaborate again, with Washington reportedly on board following a meeting with Scott.
One can imagine it would be pretty tough to turn down this role after the success of American Gangster and the first Gladiator, but Denzel Washington doesn't always stick to the script. Outside of The Equalizer, Washington doesn't do sequels, which makes this announcement even bigger.
Except for EQUALIZER 2 (his own franchise), Denzel has never done a sequel. https://t.co/iIhLXXtITc
— Matt Goldberg Has a Substack (@MattGoldberg) March 17, 2023
Washington has received critical acclaim for his acting, with nine Academy Award nominations to his name. He most recently starred in The Tragedy of Macbeth, earning him yet another nomination. In addition to his acting accolades, Washington also received a Best Picture nomination for his role as a producer on Fences.
While Washington has the upcoming release of Equalizer 3 to look forward to, fans of the actor will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating his next collaboration with Scott in Gladiator 2.
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