“I don’t think people are ready for it”: Joseph Quinn Claims Paul Mescal Is Devastating in Gladiator 2

Audiences are about to return to ancient Rome. Fans of the original film directed by Ridley Scott in 2000 have been waiting for the sequel, which will be in theaters in November 2024. With a star-studded cast led by Paul Mescal, Gladiator 2 has caused a buzz after 24 years.

As Paramount Pictures releases the trailer for Gladiator 2, speculations about the movie, its stars, and the interesting statements of Joseph Quinn have emerged. Also, there is a link between this historical epic and another big film that will be released at the same time.

Joseph Quinn Is Awestruck By Paul Mescal’s Performance in Gladiator 2

Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn has recently revealed some interesting details about the movie. Quinn couldn’t contain his excitement about working on the project and teased that his co-star Paul Mescal‘s performance was truly special.

Gladiator 2 continues the story 20 years after the plot of the first movie. Paul Mescal, known for his performance in Normal People is starring as Lucius Verus. As viewers recall from the first movie, Lucius was the young nephew of Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix.

Joseph Quinn joins the cast as Caracalla who is one of the co-emperors of Rome. During his recent appearance on Happy Sad Confused podcast, Quinn expressed being a fanboy about the experience of making the film, but his remarks about Paul Mescal were special. Quinn claimed,

Paul is devastating in this film, I don’t think people are ready for it.

Apart from Mescal, Quinn also showed gratitude for the opportunity to work with Denzel Washington and the amount of things he learned from him. He also shared some insights into what it was like to work on such a massive production and described it as “the maddest experience of my life”.

Director-producer Ridley Scott also praised Mescal as well. In an interview with Vanity Fair, he shared that he decided to cast Mescal as the lead in Gladiator 2 after speaking with him for about half an hour. In the same interview, co-star Pedro Pascal revealed how Paul Mescal got bulked up and that he got the nickname of “Brick Wall Paul.” Pascal said,

He got so strong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again. To go up against somebody that fit and that talented and that much younger…It’s brutal, man.

In Gladiator 2, the plot focuses on Lucius, his wife, and their child, who are now living in Numidia about 20 years after the events of the first film. Roman forces led by General Marcus Acacius attack and Lucius is taken into slavery. He fights as a gladiator and opposes the reign of the young emperors Caracalla and Geta.

Paul Mescal Wants Gladiator 2 vs. Wicked to Be the Next Barbenheimer

Coincidentally, Gladiator 2 is not the only much-awaited movie that is about to release in late November this year. The movie version of the Broadway hit Wicked is also planned to come out at the same time. This scheduling incident is much like the Oppenheimer and Barbie release story from 2023, popularly called ‘Barbenheimer’.

The two completely different films created a unique moviegoing experience, and many viewers even saw both on the same day. Paul Mescal is taking this sportingly and expecting a similar buzz around Gladiator 2 and Wicked‘s first part as well. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said,

Wickdiator doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it? I think my preference would probably be Glicked if it has a similar effect to what it did for Barbie and Oppenheimer.

It would be amazing ’cause I think the films couldn’t be more polar opposites, and it worked in that context previously. So, fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend.

It is true that Gladiator 2 and Wicked couldn’t be more different. One is a historical epic and the other is a colorful musical fantasy. But that is what made ‘Barbenheimer’ a hit with audiences. The contrast between the two films created a unique double-feature experience.

Although there is no guarantee that Gladiator 2 and Wicked will replicate the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon, the possibility has definitely excited actors, filmmakers, and fans as well.

Gladiator 2 and Wicked will be released in theaters on November 15 and November 22, 2024, respectively.