Paul Mescal In Talks To Star In Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ Sequel

In a few short years, Adam Driver has gone from underground TV curiosity to the most compelling leading man in movies. The young actor has already notched two consecutive Oscar nominations for his roles in 2018’s “BlacKkKlansman” and 2019’s “Marriage Story,” plus an extended excursion into the “Star Wars” universe.

Paul Mescal has been nominated for Best Actor for playing a Scots dad in the film Aftersun. The Irishman is up against the likes of Austin Butler and Colin Farrell.

Nothing is better during awards season than Oscar nomination morning. Why? Because so many people are genuinely overjoyed over their nominations.

The Oscar nominations revealed Tuesday did not include any female directors, extending a trend that across this season’s awards landscape. It means the modest streak of women winning the Directing Oscar will end at two, after back-to-back wins the past two years with Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) in 2022 and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) in 2021.

After months of campaigning, the 95th Oscar nominations are here. And, in theory, with blockbusters such as “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (granted, a streaming blockbuster), and “Avatar: The Way of Water” in the mix for Best Picture nominations people should be excited.

EXCLUSIVE: Amir Arison (The Blacklist, lead on Broadway’s The Kite Runner) joins series lead Brian Tyree Henry in the cast of Apple’s crime drama series Sinking Spring from Top Gun: Maverick writer Peter Craig. The 8- episode series is directed and executive produced by Ridley Scott via his Scott Free Productions.

EXCLUSIVE: Music supervision is increasingly in the spotlight with turns such as Jenna Ortega dancing to The Cramps’ Goo Goo Muck in Wednesday or Zendaya singing Tupac’s Hit ‘Em Up in Euphoria.

EXCLUSIVE: Rising-star Frankie Corio has signed with WME for representation. Corio is coming off her star-making performance in A24’s Aftersun opposite Paul Mescal. The role has earned critical acclaim as well as several accolades including a Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actress as well as an honor from the London Film Critics Circle for Best Young Performer.

Back in 2019, Richard Linklater announced what was probably going to be the most ambitious film project of his career, “Merrily We Roll Along.” Unfortunately, this is a film you won’t be able to see for another couple of decades, as Linklater is filming segments with the same group of actors over the course of 20 years to properly adapt Stephen Sondheim‘s acclaimed musical.

BEST PICTURE1. “Tár” (61 points)2. “Aftersun” (49 points)3.

The National Society of Film Critics has named Tár as Best Picture in the group’s 57th annual vote Saturday. The results were announced on Twitter.

“Aftersun” star Paul Mescal is in talks to star in the “Gladiator” sequel from Paramount Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.The first “Gladiator” movie, which was released in 2000, garnered 11 Oscar nominations and five wins, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. The film raked in $460 million at the global box office.The story for the sequel would focus on Lucius (Mescal), the son of Lucilla (who was played by Connie Nielsen in the 2000 film) who was saved by Maximus (Crowe) by the end of the first film.Ridley Scott is directing, as well as producing with Michael Pruss via Scott Free and Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment.David Scarpa is writing the script. Also returning from the original film are costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max.DreamWorks was the studio behind the original 2000 film and Paramount is currently in negotiations to land the project. Universal, which co-produced the 2000 film, has the option to come on board as co-financier.Scott will first direct “Napoleon” which Joaquin Phoenix attached to star.Mescal first broke out on Hulu’s “Normal People,” for which he garnered a BAFTA award and an Emmy nomination for his role.

EXCLUSIVE: Ridley Scott always said he would return to the Colosseum to continue the story of his blockbuster epic Gladiator, and it looks like we are getting close to having that wish granted. Sources tell Deadline that Normal People star Paul Mescal is in negotiations to lead the sequel to the Oscar-winning pic, with Scott returning to the directing chair. Scott also will produce, along with Scott Free President Michael Pruss as well as Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment. David Scarpa penned the script.

The Serpent and The Mauritanian star Tahar Rahim will preside over the 48th edition of France’s Cesar Awards, taking place at Paris’s historic l’Olympia concert venue on February 24.