Hold onto your helmets, gladiator fans. Current Hollywood fave Pedro Pascal, the man who brought us The Mandalorian's Din Djarin and The Last of Us's Joel, might be stepping into the arena for Paramount's hotly-anticipated Gladiator sequel. As if juggling the press tours for both shows wasn't enough, the talented actor is now in talks to join the star-studded cast of the follow-up to the 2001 Oscar-winning epic.
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For those who need a refresher, the original Gladiator film chronicled the intense journey of Maximus Decimus Meridius, masterfully portrayed by Russell Crowe. Maximus, a former general, is sold into slavery and forced to fight as a gladiator under the rule of the twisted Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix.
In the upcoming sequel, Pascal is set to join an impressive roster of talent, including Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Barry Keoghan. Nielsen will reprise her role as Lucilla, the sister of the infamous Commodus, while the sequel's storyline will focus on Lucius (Mescal), Lucilla's son, and Commodus' nephew. Fans can also look forward to the return of Djimon Hounsou as Juba, a fellow gladiator and former ally of Maximus.
When Gladiator first debuted, it raked in an impressive $460 million at the box office and garnered eleven Oscar nominations. The film took home five awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe's unforgettable performance.
As the Gladiator sequel gears up, fans can only hope that this new chapter in the saga will be just as thrilling and captivating as the original. And with Pascal potentially entering the fray, excitement levels are soaring higher than ever. Is there anything Pascal can't do? Apparently, the answer to that is stop bagging high-profile roles.
There's no release date set for the new Gladiator flick just yet, but that should change after all the roles have been cast.
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