Original Gladiator Star Spencer Treat Clark talks about being replaced by Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s upcoming sequel, Gladiator II. Clarke, who starred as a young Lucius Verus, the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, will not return for the highly anticipated sequel. instead, Lucious will be portrayed by Irish actor Paul MescalBest known for his Emmy-nominated role in the miniseries, Normal people. Lucius is the main character in Gladiator IIFollow him as he is forced to enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home.
Talk to People To discuss his new Max film, Salem’s placeClark responded to be replaced by Mescal. The former Lucious actor has nothing but positive comments Regarding the new movie and Mescal’s casting, read his full response below:
The movie looks so good, and Paul is going to do such a great job. I’ve heard really great things about that movie… I feel like it was 25 years ago, but for some people, I see myself as an adult and like, ‘Oh my God, you’re right. You were Lucius in Gladiator,’ is so wild. But I’m really excited to see the movie and to see what Paul brings to it. And yes, it’s coming out soon. So I’m excited for him.
What the Lucius Recasting means for Gladiator II
Age can make all the difference
Gladiator II was in development limbo for some time. Discussions of a sequel to 2000s Gladiator Going back as far as 2001, with rumors of a plot revolving around Maximus in the afterlife and a story centered around Lucius being the secret son of Maximus. Scott often gave updates to the project over the years, remaining optimistic that it would eventually make it into production. The film was finally announced in 2018, and Mescal was cast in the lead role in January 2023.
Scott recently addressed the recasting of Lucious, stating that he wanted a younger actor in the role…
Scott addressed the recasting of Lucious, stating that he wanted a younger actor in the role and that he was impressed with Mescal in Normal people. Mescal, who is 28, is eight years younger than Clark. While this may not seem like a huge age difference, it can be significant when you compare an actor in their twenties and another who is nearly reaching their forties. Scott’s recasting may also be dependent on the time in which Gladiator II takes place. It is possible that Clark may be too old for when the film is set.
Our take on the Lucius Recasting
Actors being replaced is a common occurrence
Recasting in Hollywood is nothing new. From George McFly in Back to the Future II To casi long in Ant-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaReplacing actors happens all the time. Perhaps one of the best comparisons to these Gladiator Recasting is the casting of Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance Doctor Sleep. Danny was originally portrayed by Danny Lloyd in the lovely, But the young actor left the business, so a notable actor was hired to portray the mature version of the character in the sequel.
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However, unlike Danny Torrance’s recasting, Mescal isn’t as well known of an actor as McGregor, and he doesn’t have an extensive acting resume. actually, Spencer Treat Clark has three times as many acting credits as Paul MescalAppearing in shows such as Crazy people And Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, As well as films like this Like unbreakable, glass And Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. However, Mescal is already an Oscar-nominated actor with strong potential in the future. Thus, Scott saw something in Mescal that he thought better aligned with the version of Lucius in the Gladiator II Written as Clarke would have been.
Source: People