Gladiator III Gets Discouraging Update From Paul Mescal

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Ridley Scott created his acclaimed film Gladiator in 2000. Now, nearly 25 years later, he’s back with Gladiator II in 2024, hoping to build on the success of the original.

Despite not performing as well as the first Gladiator film, director Ridley Scott has expressed interest in continuing the story. Gladiator II takes place 16 years after the original and stars Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus Aurelius, a Roman prince living in exile. However, in a recent interview with The Guardian, Mescal shared news that could potentially delay or even halt the development of a third Gladiator movie.

The actor was busy promoting his new movie, The History of Sound, a love story set during World War I, while also talking about an upcoming project. He’s starring as Paul McCartney in a four-part series directed by Sam Mendes about The Beatles, which is scheduled to be released in 2028. Despite having a lot going on, he hinted that he’s considering taking a step back from working so much.

I’ve been doing this acting thing for five or six years now, and honestly, I feel incredibly fortunate. But I’m starting to realize I can’t keep taking on projects at the same pace. I definitely need to be more careful about what I say yes to going forward – I’m going to have to start rationing myself, for sure.

Paul Mescal explained that limiting his work isn’t about doing less overall, but recognizing that projects like The History of Sound require a lot of creative energy. He feels it’s important to avoid consistently chasing that level of intensity and needing to recharge. He’s unsure what that balance will look like for him. Mescal also mentioned he misses performing on stage and might dedicate a few years solely to theater. He also wants to focus more on personal priorities in his life.

He shared that filming Gladiator II was physically demanding and required a rapid weight loss. He had to start working on The History of Sound right after, and losing 12 kilos (about 26 pounds) in just eight weeks was incredibly challenging and mentally exhausting.

Mescal shared that while he enjoyed making the film, The History of Sound felt like a natural fit for him. He feels most at ease with projects like that and hopes to focus on similar, smaller-scale films rather than large productions like Gladiator II.

While a third Gladiator movie hasn’t begun filming yet, the actor joked that after he finishes promoting it, he hopes audiences won’t see him in anything until 2028, when he starts working on a Beatles project. He feels both he and the public could use a break from each other.

Is Gladiator 3 Happening?

The 2000 movie was a critical and commercial hit, becoming a major awards contender and earning $451.6 million globally on a $103 million budget. However, its 2024 sequel, which featured the death of the character Maximus at the end of the original film, didn’t achieve the same level of success.

Despite getting generally positive reviews – 70% from critics and 81% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes – Gladiator II wasn’t a financial hit. With a production budget of $250 million, the movie earned $460.3 million worldwide, according to The Numbers.

Despite the first film’s release some time ago, director Ridley Scott has been discussing a sequel. While Paramount Pictures hasn’t officially approved it, Scott has shared that he’s developing a fourth installment, tentatively titled Gladiator III, which would continue the story of Lucius Verus, played by Paul Mescal. He recently confirmed these plans in late August 2024. However, according to Mescal, even if filming begins, Gladiator III probably won’t be released until 2028 or later.

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2026-01-02 19:15