Ridley Scott‘s ‘Gladiator 2,’ starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal, begins preparations to halt filming due to an imminent SAG-AFTRA strike. The filming took place in Morocco.
Variety reported that a historic dual strike by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA is looming, threatening the film and TV industries worldwide. Talks between the actors union and producers broke down, leading to a strike vote and a halt in all scripted film and TV work.
SAG-AFTRA strike Halts Filming of ‘Gladiator 2’, ‘Mortal Kombat 2’, and ‘The Day of the Jackal’
Due to the actors’ strike, major international productions will pause filming, including the movie ‘Gladiator 2’ starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, currently being filmed in Morocco, and the martial arts sequel ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ in Australia. Also, the series ‘The Day of the Jackal,’ featuring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, which is being shot in Central and Eastern Europe, is also expected to take a break.
The film is led by Paul Mescal, who is playing the role of Lucius, and the other cast members include May Calamawy, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen, 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.
During the filming in Morocco, an accident took place on June 7, 2023, during a stunt sequence, resulting in injuries to several crew members.
‘Gladiator 2’ will hit theaters on November 22, 2024, by Paramount Pictures.
