Ridley Scott Reportedly Says Paul Mescal Wasn't ‘Masculine Enough’ for Gladiator 2

Director Ridley Scott has reportedly attributed the underwhelming performance of Gladiator II to its lead actor, Paul Mescal. According to sources, Mescal was deemed "not masculine enough" for the role, which led to his departure from Scott's subsequent film, The Dog Stars. Mescal was replaced by Jacob Elordi. The circumstances surrounding Mescal's exit from The Dog Stars initially pointed to scheduling conflicts with another project, Sam Mendes' Beatles movie.

However, Mescal's co-star, IGN's Tom Jorgensen, praised his performance in Gladiator II, stating that Mescal held his own among a talented ensemble cast, including Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Denzel Washington. Gladiator II, though a financial success, costing between $250 million and $300 million to produce, failed to resonate with audiences, grossing $462 million worldwide.

The Dog Stars, on the other hand, was a significant box office failure, opening to only $19 million globally despite an $89 million budget. Additionally, Ridley Scott has been quoted as developing a sequel to Alien: Covenant with Michael Fassbinder, expressing dissatisfaction with Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus. A list of Ridley Scott's top ten movies does not include Gladiator II, The Dog Stars, or Alien: Covenant.