Denzel Washington Joins Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" sequel just got even cooler: Deadline is reporting that Denzel Washington is finalizing negotiations to star in the upcoming sequel to Scott's Best Picture winning 2000 epic.

Washington is reportedly set to play a "bad-ass" role that Scott crafted just for him, and Deadline's sources say the "Training Day" and "Malcolm X" star became interested after reading the script. The film's screenplay is written by David Scarpa, who has worked with Scott before on projects including "All The Money in the World." While the nature of Washington's role hasn't been revealed, previous reporting indicates that the new movie will follow Lucius, the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix's villainous ruler Commodus.

The Hollywood veteran isn't the first person to join the cast, although Washington definitely adds even more gravitas to the already-exciting project. Paul Mescal, the Oscar-nominated actor whose short filmography has included fantastic turns in "Normal People," "The Lost Daughter," and "Aftersun," will play Lucius. And just yesterday, news broke that Barry Keoghan, another of this year's Oscar nominees who's put in great work in movies like "The Banshees of Inisherin" and "The Killing of a Sacred Deer," will play a character named Emperor Geta (who shares his name with a real world figure who ruled in the year 209).

This isn't the first time Denzel Washington has collaborated with Ridley Scott; in 2007, Scott directed "American Gangster," the crime epic about real-life Harlem crime lord Frank Lucas. Washington starred as Lucas in a confident and complex role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination and plenty of praise from critics. He also worked several times with Scott's late brother Tony Scott, including in "Man On Fire." Washington has most recently appeared in 2021's "The Tragedy of Macbeth" in the lead role, and is set to return for Antoine Fuqua's action film "The Equalizer 3." Washington has spaced out his roles lately, appearing in just four movies in the last five years.

The original "Gladiator," which co-starred Joaquin Phoenix, Russell Crowe, and Connie Nielsen, was the rare modern sword-and-sandals epic that became both a box office hit and an award season favorite. That film introduced the character of Lucius, then played by child actor Spencer Treat Clark. Several key members of the "Gladiator" production team are set to return for the sequel, including cinematographer John Mathieson, costume designer Janty Yates, and production designer Arthur Max, per THR. In addition to directing, Scott will produce the movie, which is currently scheduled to charge into theaters on November 22, 2024.