Joseph Quinn and Connie Nielsen have joined the cast of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2. Nielsen is returning to her first film character, Lucilla, Commodus’ sister, Maximus’ former love interest, and Lucilla’s mother, while Quinn will play the role of Emperor Caracalla.
The film is led by Paul Mescal, who is playing the role of Lucius, and the other cast members include Barry Keoghan and Denzel Washington. Ridley Scott is directing from a screenplay by David Scarpa. Scott will also produce alongside Scott Free President Michael Pruss, Doug Wick, and Lucy Fisher through Red Wagon Entertainment. Universal and DreamWorks co-produced the first film, and while DreamWorks will not be involved in the sequel, Universal has the right to collaborate again when the project is packaged.
The returning crew members are John Mathieson (Director of Photography), Arthur Max (Production Designer), and Janty Yates (Costume Designer). The sequel’s plot details are currently unknown.
Gladiator tells the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a general in the Roman army who is betrayed by the emperor’s son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and sold into slavery. Maximus rises through the ranks of gladiators and becomes a hero to the people of Rome, seeking revenge against Commodus and restoring the Roman Republic. The film grossed over $460 million worldwide on a production budget of $103 million, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 2000 and earning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Russell Crowe, and Best Visual Effects.
Joseph Quinn is best known for his roles as Arthur Havisham in “Dickensian,” Leonard Bast in “Howards End,” and Eddie in “Catherine the Great.” He also starred as Arthur in the HBO series “Avenue 5.” Played the role of Enjolras in the BBC’s adaptation of “Les Misérables” and Eddie Munson in the most recent season of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things. As a result of his outstanding performance, Paramount gave him an important role in the A Quiet Place spin-off, A Quiet Place: Day One, which most recently wrapped filming.
Connie Nielsen is best known for her roles as Lucilla in “Gladiator,” Meredith Kane in “Boss,” Queen Hippolyta in “Wonder Woman,” and Cersei in “The Following.” Her other notable film credits include “The Devil’s Advocate,” “Mission to Mars,” “One Hour Photo,” and “3 Days to Kill.” More recently, she reprised her role as Hippolyta in “Wonder Woman 1984” and appeared in the TV series “Yellowstone”.
Gladiator 2 will hit theaters on November 22, 2024, by Paramount Pictures.
Source: Deadline
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