Barry Keoghan, the Oscar-nominated actor who is at home in good historical plays, is in talks to work with Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s Untitled gladiator To be continued, sources say The Hollywood Reporter.
Scott directs the sequel to his 2000 historical epic, which starred Russell Crowe as Maximus, a former general forced into becoming a gladiator under the rule of his father’s self-proclaimed Roman Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). become. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, while Crowe took home the statuette for Best Actor, among the five wins for the critically acclaimed film. Neither Crowes nor Phoenix’s character survived the trial.
The sequel will star After sun Oscar-nominated Mescal is set to play Lucius, son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Phoenix’ Commodus. (Spencer Treat Clark played the role in the original film.)
If a deal goes through, Keoghan will play a character named Emperor Geta. (Geta was a real Roman emperor, although the sequel’s story is not based on real events.)
Scott will team up with him again All the money in the world clerk David Scarpa, who also wrote the filmmaker’s upcoming Napoleon Bonaparte film. Scott will produce with Michael Pruss through Scott Free and Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher through Red Wagon Entertainment. Executive producers are Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald.
Scott reassembles several key members of the team behind the scenes of his original, including cinematographer John Mathieson, production designer Arthur Max, and costume designer Janty Yates.
Paramount is behind the project, however gladiator was a co-production with Universal. Universal will have the opportunity to produce together gladiator 2 once the project is packaged. Paramount has set a release for the epic on November 22, 2024.
Keoghan received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the 1920s set The Banshees by Inisherinone of the acclaimed film’s nine Oscar nominations, and is known for his unconventional work in films such as Killing a Sacred Deer And eternal. He also had a small role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, in which he was teased as a potential progenitor of The Joker. A darling of the indie scene, he is currently filming Trey Edward Shults’ latest film, which also stars Jenna Ortega and The Weeknd.
Keoghan is represented by WME, Entertainment 360 and Sloane Offer.