Ridley Scott thinks Paul Mescal isn't manly enough for Gladiator II

Alleged disappointment with the sequel to the historical drama also led to a change in the lead actor in the director's next film.

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Photo: Printscreen YouTube
Photo: Printscreen YouTube
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Ridley Scott has blamed lead actor Paul Mescal for the lukewarm reception of "Gladiator II," according to a new report.

The sequel to the historical drama "Gladiator," which premiered in 2024, stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, a man who becomes a gladiator in the Roman Colosseum out of a desire for revenge. The original film from 2000 starred Russell Crowe. Although "Gladiator II" was a box office success, grossing $462 million, and has an 80 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, many considered it weaker than the first part.

According to a new report from Puck's newsletter "What I'm Hearing," journalist Matthew Belloni writes that Ridley Scott blamed Mescal for the backlash to the film, claiming he wasn't "manly" enough for the role.

Reportedly, the disappointment with the film also led to Mescal being replaced in Scott's new film "The Dog Stars," where he was succeeded by Jacob Elordi.

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