Summary
After initially being set to continue his villainous streak on screen in Ridley Scott’s sequel, Barry Keoghan has now explained why he exitedGladiator 2. Development on a follow-up to Scott’s Oscar-winning 2000 movie has been trapped in development hell for decades, with steam finally gaining in 2018 as Paramount and Universal again partnered to produce the follow-up. The movie will be set a reported 15 years after the events of its predecessor, centering onan adult Lucius, now played by Paul Mescal, while Connie Nielsen would return as his mother.
During a recent interview withIndieWireabout the Cannes release of his upcoming movieBird, Keoghan was asked about the rumor of his leavingGladiator 2for the Andrea Arnold-helmed drama. Rather than explicitly state this to be the reason, the actor did confirm that scheduling conflicts forced him to bow out of the Scott historical epic sequel, though holds no ill feelings about having to exit the latter. Check out what Keoghan said below:
[Demurring] Um, conflicts, schedule conflicts. I am a massive fan of “Gladiator” and a massive fan of that cast. It’s a shame you can’t do both. But that happens in this game. You can’t do both.
Why Keoghan’s Exit Could Actually Work For Gladiator 2
At the time Keoghan’s negotiations werefirst revealed forGladiator 2, the Irish actor found himself exploring a variety of roles on both the big and small screen, though was still best known for his more villainous turns. The year prior to his casting reports memorably saw him take on the role of the Joker with a cameo in Matt Reeves’The Batman, which was met with much acclaim from critics and viewers alike for his quietly menacing and visually chilling approach to playing the DC villain. Though not confirmed to return forThe Batman II, both Keoghan and Reeves have teased their desires to see him reprise the role.
With this and other such roles as Martin inThe Killing of a Sacred Deerand Oliver inSaltburn, it’s easy to see why Keoghan was first courted to playGladiator 2’s villain, co-emperor Geta. That said, with Scott instead bringing in Joseph Quinn to play Geta and Fred Hechinger to play the other co-emperor, Caracalla, the sequel could actually find itself benefiting from these choices by allowing for a more subversive approach to depicting its key villains. While Quinn has already dispelled comparisons toJoaquin Phoenix’s Commodusin the original movie, audiences have nonetheless been curious how Scott could follow him up.
10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From Gladiator 2
Gladiator 2 will bring fans back to Ancient Rome for another brutal adventure, with several new and nostalgic elements ready to keep us “entertained.”
Up to this point, Quinn is generally better known for more protagonistic roles, namelyStranger Things' Eddie and being cast as the Human Torch in the upcomingFantastic Fourreboot. Hechinger, on the other hand, has a unique range of performances in his filmography, ranging from the lovable Simon in theFear Streettrilogy to the more villainous Ethan inThe Woman in the Window. With both actors having exemplified both sides of the moral coin, it will be interesting to see just how Scott utilizes them for theirGladiator 2roles.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
