Gladiator II

Lucius returns inGladiator II , but the doer playing the original movie persona has been recast for specific reasons . After Ridley Scott made the originalGladiatorin 2000 , the possibility of a sequel lingered for years before the final iteration ofGladiator 2fell into home . Instead of exploring Maximus ' return afterGladiator ’s endingas once considered , the continuation shift its focus to be about the Roman Catholic empire a few decades later . This was done so that Lucius , Lucilla ’s boy in the original movie , could return as the main character .

Gladiator 2 ’s account observe Lucius as his family is murdered by Rome ’s emperors , Caracalla and Geta . He is forced into slavery and takes it upon himself to fight back and essay revenge . Gladiator 2 ’s castmostly introduces new historical figures to be part of Lucius ' journeying , with Connie Nielsen returning as Lucilla from the first cinema . However , Ridley Scott did not bringGladiator ’s Lucius actor Spencer Treat Clark back , opting instead to recast the young whiz from the original . There are some specific reason forGladiator 2 ’s Lucius recast and Paul Mescal substitute Spencer Treat Clark .

Gladiator 2’s Timeline Ruled Out Bringing Spencer Treat Clark Back As Lucius

Spencer Treat Clark’s Age Was A Problem

The key issue with convey Spencer Treat Clark back as Lucius after the original movie wasGladiator 2 ’s timeline . Ridley Scott spent ten developing the continuation before it was finally in a spot where it could pass . The result is the follow - up come 24 class after the first flick , and that mean Clark aging considerably . Whereas he was only 11 year old when he filmedGladiator , the actor was 36 class old by the prison term the continuation lastly entered product . That presented a trouble forGladiator 2and how Scott wanted to portray Lucius .

The conclusion to castPaul Mescal as Lucius inGladiator 2comes from Ridley Scott ’s desire to have the theatrical role feel and look untested . Although the continuation ’s official plot synopsis state that the film takes blank space over two decades after the event of the original film , the director previously toldRotten Tomatoesthat the chronicle takes place roughly 12 to 15 years after Lucius was separate from his mother at the age of 12 . That meansLucius need to be about 24 to 27 years old in the sequel , which is much younger than Clark .

Ridley Scott ’s Gladiator moving-picture show , including Gladiator II , include several characters that are based on actual historical figures from the Roman Empire .

Gladiator II Official Poster

With Spencer Treat Clark becoming too old to dally Lucius again , Paul Mescal was establish to be the consummate age . He was only 27 years old when motion-picture photography began , and he can go by for a few years youthful if necessary . Gladiator 2 ’s timeline is shorter than how much sentence overhaul in real living , so the nine - yr long time departure between Mescal and Clark makes an even bigger difference . It is for that reason that it became too unmanageable for Clark to realistically return as Lucius .

What Spencer Treat Clark Has Done Since Gladiator

The Actor Has Continued To Work Over The Years

Gladiatorwas one of Spencer Treat Clark ’s earliest playing credits , and it is still one of his most famed all these years subsequently . While he is not devolve forGladiator II , he has steadily worked throughout the twelvemonth . This included starring inUnbreakablethe same yr asGladiator , andhe returned as his character in M. Night Shyamalan ’s sequelGlassin 2019 . Clark followed up that breakout year with a role in Clint Eastwood’sMystic Riverin 2003 . This chair to him landing place roles in smaller films and horror titles through the scratch of the 2010s .

Movie / Show

Year

Spencer Treat Clark in Gladiator and Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator 2

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Gladiator

2000

Unbreakable

Lucius Verus II (Spencer Treat Clark) in Gladiator in front of a yellow image of the Colosseum

Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Mystic River

2003

agent of SHIELD

Denzel Washington as Macrinus in Gladiator II (2024) next to the official poster for the film starring Paul Mescal as Lucius

2015 - 2018

Glass

2019

Spencer Treat Clark as Joseph Dunn outside of Raven Hill Memorial in Glass

Animal Kingdom

2016 - 2019

Weird : The Al Yankovic Story

Spencer Treat Clark as the young Lucius sitting in Gladiator and Paul Mescal’s Lucius fighting in Gladiator 2

Custom image by Fariba Rezwan

2022

Tracker

2024

Headshot Of Paul Mescal In The 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)

Salem ’s Lot

While Clark had single episode appearances on show likeThe Good Wife , The Closer , harebrained Men , andNCIS , his bigger achiever on the small screen door occur withAgents of SHIELDandAnimal Kingdom . He had a fall back role on ABC ’s Marvel series in season 3 and 5 , while he appear in the first four seasons of TNT ’s offense dramatic play . BeforeGladiator II ’s release , Clark found a few more notable part , including a go back topographic point onTrackerseason 1 and a part inSalem ’s Lot ’s plaster cast as Mike Ryerson .

Why Ridley Scott Chose Paul Mescal To Be Lucius In Gladiator 2

Paul Mescal Fulfilled Scott’s Vision For Lucius

Once it was clear that Spencer Treat Clark could not return and thatGladiator 2needed to recast Lucius , Paul Mescal was in the end selected as the choice . cat a new Lucius try out to have extra expectations beyond just carrying forward a character Clark previously act . Ridley Scott experience thatGladiator 2needed an actor at the centre of it who could be as charismatic and big as Russell Crowe was in the original . The film could not have a lacking lead or anyone who would not be a credible and suitable replacement for Crowe ’s Maximus .

Scott ’s interest group in wanting to find someone who could be as big of a star as Russell Crowe is what led him to cast Mescal . The film director first experienced his natural endowment by watchingNormal mass , which give Mescal an Emmy nomination and a BAFTA win . Scott toldTotal Filmthat"I kept imagine about Paul"while developingGladiator 2as a resultant of watchingNormal People . So when it came time to cast the function , his choice was clear , and Paramount executive and producers signed off after fancy Mescal on phase performingA Streetcar Named Desire .

What Spencer Treat Clark Has Said About Gladiator 2’s Lucius Recasting

The Original Gladiator Actor Addressed Not Returning

Even though Spencer Treat Clark does not yield forGladiator 2 , his connection to the original film and Lucius means that his thinking on how the dealership is evolve his character are want . While doing press to promoteSalem ’s Lot , Peopleasked Clark like a shot for his opinion on the sequel recasting Lucius instead of bringing him back . While he could have been very disconfirming about the decision and missed out on the opportunity to headline a major production like this , Clark ’s reply toGladiator 2recasting Luciuswas overwhelminglypositive in his excitement for the movieand Mescal ’s operation .

The moving picture depend so good , and Paul ’s going to do such a great job . I ’ve actually heard big things about the motion picture … I feel like it was 25 age ago , but for some people , ascertain me as an adult and being like , ' Oh my God , you ’re right . You were Lucius in Gladiator , ' is so raving mad . But I ’m really excited to see the movie and to see what Paul bring to it . And yeah , it comes out soon . So I ’m excited for it .

The support from Spencer Treat Clark forGladiator 2and Mescal is encouraging . He seems to understand the reasons behind Lucius being recast andhas no ill will towards Scott for his decision or Mescal for take over the role . It ’s unknown if Clark and Mescal have specifically colligate to talk about Lucius ' phylogeny or what it is like playing him . It certainly could have been gracious to see Clark be give a life history - altering opportunity to leadGladiator II , so him set that apart to root on the sequel and its new Lucius actor is slap-up to see .

Headshot Of Pedro Pascal In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Source : Rotten Tomatoes , Total Film , citizenry

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Gladiator II